Roasted and caramelized cauliflower with
Indian spices. Photo courtesy
PaperChef.com. |
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We love cauliflower, and enjoy it at least once a week. Not to go all Bubba Gump on it, but we like:
Aloo gobi, the popular Imdian dish of cauliflower and potatoes.
Cauliflower au gratin, baked with a topping of seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese, or Mornay, a cheese sauce. On a related note, you can also dip cauliflower, raw or lightly-steamed, into cheese fondue.
Cauliflower crudités, with a blue cheese or nonfat yogurt dip.
Cauliflower purée, which can be stretched with stock to make cauliflower soup.
Cruciferous salad: Broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower florets in a Dijon dressing (recipe below).
Mashed cauliflower, a much better-for-you substitute for mashed potatoes (recipe).
Roasted cauliflower, with or without other cruciferous and root vegetables (broccoli, carrots, turnips, etc.).
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Cauliflower is a member of the anti-carcinogenic cruciferous family, Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae). Its cousins include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, cress, daikon, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, mustard greens, radish, rutabaga and turnips. A salad made from cruciferous vegetables, like the second recipe below, is much more healthful than a lettuce salad.
Recently we discovered a delicious South Asian recipe for roasted and caramelized cauliflower, prepared with an aromatic blend of traditional Indian spices. It was created by By Joshna Maharaj for Paper Chef, makers of culinary parchment paper. This golden spiced beauty is a lively mouthwatering delight.
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SOUTH ASIAN MASALA CAULIFLOWER RECIPE
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1” (2.5 cm) slices
4 tablespoons (60 mL) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5mL) ground turmeric
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) cayenne, or to taste
2 teaspoons (10 mL) kosher salt
Preparation
1. PREHEAT oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. PLACE cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with vegetable oil. In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and stir to combine. Sprinkle the spice mixture over cauliflower and use your hands to gently toss, making sure to coat each piece with the oil and spices.
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Look for specialty cauliflower—green, orange, violet and yellow—in farmers markets. Henckels chef’s knife available at Williams-Sonoma. Photo courtesy Williams-Sonoma.
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3. ARRANGE cauliflower in an even layer on each baking sheet and season with salt. Roast for 25-35 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and the edges are nicely browned. It’s ready to enjoy!
CRUCIFEROUS SALAD RECIPE
You can use raw vegetables or steam them very lightly. Add color with carrots or red bell pepper. The recipe can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups cauliflower florets
Optional: 1/2 cup shredded carrots or diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise*
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 2 slices crisp bacon, cut in small pieces
*Mayonnaise makes a creamy dressing. You can omit the mayonnaise and make the dressing pure vinaigrette. Just replace the mayonnaise with two more tablespoons of olive oil.
Preparation
1. SLICE the onions. If the onions are too sharp to enjoy raw, shock the sliced onions in an ice water bath for 10 minutes and pat them dry. This tempers the sulfur-containing compounds that create the sharp flavor. You can substitute sweet onions, but red onions add needed color to the dish.
2. SLICE the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower into bite-size pieces. If you prefer, cut the broccoli and cauliflower florets into smaller florets. Combine in a bowl with the onions.
3. WHISK together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Mix in the mayonnaise and celery seed. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. You can prepare the salad up to this point and refrigerate for a day or two.
4. ADD the optional bacon, toss and serve.
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