Hero Veg: Cauliflower

Hero Vegetables

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A member of the cabbage family, cauliflower may have been cultivated in Italy as early as the Roman Empire, but in the Middle Ages, was generally believed to have originated in Cyprus. By the 17th century it was a popular vegetable in Italian and French cuisine. It is a rich source of vitamin C and other micronutrients.

cauliflowerWith its mild taste and soft texture, it’s a versatile vegetable that can be eaten in a wide variety of ways including raw, steamed, boiled, stir fried and baked. Recently, it has become popular to grate cauliflower to make cauliflower rice, a light and low-carb alternative to rice. Cauliflower rice is available in supermarkets in fresh or frozen form.

While a whole head of cauliflower may be more than you need, it’s usually available in halves and quarters. Frozen cauliflower is also available and can be used in all the following recipes. In its frozen form it’s a handy vegetable to have on hand and as such it’s included among the Standby Vegetables. You’ll find more suitable recipes in the entry Standby Veg: Frozen Broccoli and/or Cauliflower. 

Cauliflower is closely related to broccoli, so broccoli can be substituted for some or all of the cauliflower in the following recipes. Cauliflower can also be substituted for some or all of the broccoli in the recipes in the entry Hero Veg: Broccoli.

Cauliflower can be combined with other vegetables as seen in the entry Vegetable Medleys from the Pantry. 

Cauliflower also features in the Cooking in Bulk recipes: White Vegetable Soup and Chickpea and Vegetable Stew.

 

Recipes:

Cauliflower Salad

Cauliflower Cheese

Baked Cauliflower

Chilli Fried Cauliflower

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Spicy Cauliflower Soup

 

Cauliflower Salad

  • 1½ cups cauliflower florets
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Garlic granules and oregano
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

 

  1. Boil or steam cauliflower until tender (10–15 minutes) and drain
  2. Stir lemon juice and spices into olive oil
  3. Toss cauliflower in oil while still warm
  4. Refrigerate for approx. 1 hour

 

Cauliflower Cheese

  • 1½ cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tsp. cornflour
  • Garlic, pepper and oregano
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. Boil or steam cauliflower until tender (10–15 minutes), drain and set aside
  2. In a small saucepan sauté onion in butter with spices
  3. Dissolve cornflour into milk and stir in Parmesan cheese and oregano
  4. Add milk mixture and simmer, stirring, until sauce thickens
  5. Stir cauliflower through sauce until heated through

 

Baked Cauliflower

  • 1½ cups cauliflower florets
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Pepper and oregano

 

  1. Boil or steam cauliflower until just tender
  2. Toss in olive oil and arrange in oven proof dish
  3. Stir through mozzarella (optional)
  4. Mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and spices and spread over cauliflower
  5. Bake in a moderate (175°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes

Tip: to make breadcrumbs, break a toasted slice of wholemeal bread into small pieces, then process in a bullet blender to break the pieces down into crumbs.

 

Chilli Fried Cauliflower

  • 1½ cups cauliflower, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Chilli and garlic
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola oil.

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with chilli and garlic
  2. Add cauliflower and sauté to heat through
  3. Add ¼ cup hot water
  4. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until tender
  5. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Tip: if using frozen cauliflower, steam until thawed before slicing and frying

 

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 small potato, peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, chilli, mild curry powder, ginger and coriander
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola Oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with garlic, chilli and spices
  2. Add diced tomatoes and sauté
  3. Add potato and sauté to heat through
  4. Stir in cauliflower
  5. Simmer until vegetables are tender, adding a little water as required
  6. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

 

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

  • 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
  • ¼ cup low-fat milk
  • 2 tsp. cornflour
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion, pepper, garlic and oregano
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Place cauliflower in a small saucepan with ¾ cup water, stock powder, dried onion and spices
  2. Simmer for 15 minutes until tender and allow to cool
  3. Empty saucepan into large cup of bullet blender and liquidise thoroughly
  4. Return to saucepan
  5. Add milk, oregano, cornflour and Parmesan to bullet blender cup and liquidise
  6. Stir into saucepan and slowly bring to boil
  7. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until soup thickens
  8. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Tip: this is a good opportunity to use the cauliflower stalk

 

Spicy Cauliflower Soup

  • 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, mild curry powder and ginger
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Place cauliflower in a small saucepan with coconut milk, stock powder, dried onion, garlic granules and spices
  2. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender
  3. Allow to cool, empty saucepan into large cup of a bullet blender and liquidise
  4. Return to saucepan with an additional ¼ cup water and gently reheat
  5. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variation: for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with ½ cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

Tip: this is a good opportunity to use the cauliflower stalk

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