cauliflower

cauliflower cooked in pomodoro

by Heguiberto on November 25, 2011

David Rocco claims this is the best cauliflower dish ever. Hmm, I’ve heard that before. He goes on to say that lots of people find cauliflower unexciting, yet asserts that when well prepared, particularly this way, it will please any crowd.

cauliflower cooked in pomodoro

cauliflower cooked in pomodoro

Well, I never had problems with cauliflower. In fact I am a big fan of the whole famiglia Brassica. Give me collard greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower anytime and I will be a happy camper. Here’re a few of my other favorites: shabby chic roasted cauliflower, sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts and cabbage mango salad.

What drew my attention to this dish was the fact that it calls for using grated cheese as well as cheese rind and the dry leftover cheeses that you might have neglected. Who doesn’t have those forgotten little bits of cheese hidden somewhere in the refrigerator? Mine usually get lost in there or if he’s lucky, fed to Clarence, my bulldog. Them’s expensive puppy treats, so it feels good to put these “leftovers” to better use.

Oh, yeah, and after having this dish, I can say right here, if not the best ever, this is in the top three or four cauliflower recipes that I’ve ever eaten.

Do you like cauliflower? What’s your favorite ways of preparing it?

cauliflower cooked in pomodoro

1 large head cauliflower cut into small pieces, including the core
1 medium sized Vidalia onion, cubed
½ cup (or more) of old dry cheese from your refrigerator cut into small cubes. I had smoked gouda, crusty brie, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and some tired cheddar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ bunch chopped Italian parsley
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups jarred tomato purée
1 cup water
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Place a large saucepan on stove top, add ½ of the olive oil and onion, bring temperature to medium high and sauté onion until translucent. Avoid burning it. Toss in cauliflower, parsley, salt, pepper, jarred tomato purée (pomodoro) and water. Bring to a boil then reduce temperature to medium low and simmer for 35-45 minutes. Stir every now and then to prevent sticking. In the end cauliflower will be broken apart and sauce will be concentrated. Remove from heat, mix in rest of olive oil, dry cheeses and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Let sit uncovered in a warm area for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

sorry, Sweetie, no cheese for you today. We're eating it all.

sorry, Sweetie, no cheese for you today. We're eating it all.

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pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

by Heguiberto on September 16, 2011

My cauliflower didn’t get to sear as much as I wanted for this dish because I was pressured for time. So you can’t see much of the blistering I was aiming for in the florets compared to this other delicious cauliflower recipe. Regardless the flavor was excellent: sweet, smoky with a slight crunch to it.

pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

Roasting cauliflower either in the oven or on the stovetop brings out a whole new dimension of flavors to this humble cruciferous vegetable. I urge you to give it a try sometime. I complemented the natural flavors with lemon, lime, cayenne pepper and the pea shoots. Serve it a side dish.

pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 cups pea shoots
4 cloves garlic cut into slivers

Toss cauliflower with salt, black pepper and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Place in on a non-stick pan and pan roast it for about 15-20 minutes or until soft but with a crunch. Towards the last five minutes, add garlic, remaining olive oil, then cook for a minute or so until raw garlic smell is gone. Add pea shots, cover pan and let them wilt. Remove from heat, squeeze in lemon and lime juices. Toss in cayenne. Taste, adjust flavors. Sprinkle with paprika and serve warm or at room temperature.

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aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

by Heguiberto on December 6, 2010

This is another delicious recipe I have adapted from the wonderful cookbook, Ajanta: Regional Feasts of India. I served it recently with a mouth-watering Kashimiri eggplant dish, badal jaam featured here back in June.

aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

I picked this recipe because we bought a head of cauliflower and inadvertently left it at the back of the fridge for almost a week. It was still perfect though it needed to be used ASAP. In my opinion, fresh is always best!

We enjoyed the dinner in the company of our friend, Gordon, who was visiting from the Big Apple and our sometime-guest blogger, Jasmine T. I always make sure I include Jasmine for dinner whenever I make Indian as, like me, she loves it.

The dish turned out great. And the leftovers tasted even better the following day. Next time I make this dish I will prepare it a day ahead and just warm it through before serving. Somehow the flavors marry better with some time getting to know one-another.

aloo gobhi matar with dried fenugreek leaves

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 small white or Yukon gold potatoes, cut in approx. ½ inch cubes
1 cup garden peas, fresh or frozen
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 ripe Roma tomatoes, run though food processor
1 tbsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper or other ground hot chili
1 tsp ground sweet paprika
1 tsp turmeric powder
kosher salt to taste
3 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, crushed into powder
1 tsp tamarind paste or juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp amchur powder
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing

Steam potatoes for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside. Add one tbsp olive oil to a non-stick pan and cook cauliflower at low heat for about 10-12 minutes. Don’t burn it. Add a few tablespoons of water during the process to prevent sticking. It should have an ‘al dente’ texture. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the same pan. Bring temperature to high and sauté garlic and ginger for about ½ minute or so. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently until soft and translucent. Don’t brown the onion. Pour tomato purée into pan and continue cooking for a few more minutes just to allow some of the juice to evaporate. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, turmeric, amchur, salt and stir for a few seconds to form a paste. The consistency will be similar to a ‘roux’.

Gently fold cooked potatoes and cauliflower into tomato spice mixture. Add a cup of water, stir, cover and cook on low temperature, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Towards the last 4 minutes of cooking, add peas and tamarind. Complete cooking then remove from heat and let it stand, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro and you are done! This dish is really tasty.

Obs: I prefer toasting and grinding my own coriander and cumin. It tastes infinitely better.

Here’s a funny video with another take on aloo gobhi:


just for fun: Clarence at rest

just for fun: Clarence at rest

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shabby chic roasted cauliflower

by Stevie on June 16, 2010

I call this one “shabby chic” because it’s super easy to make but always turns out elegantly and tastes great. It’s essentially the same as the oven roasted broccoli that we described before.

shabby chic roasted cauliflower

The difference is the flavor. Unlike broccoli, which has a distinct flavor that tends to last, the cauliflower loses some of its cauliflower-ness, gets sweet and really garlicky. It’s a great way to serve this cruciferous to skeptics. I also like how it looks at table. The tips of the white florets turn brown or even black while in the oven. It’s an exciting color contrast.

shabby chic roasted cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, rinsed and cut into large florets, leaves discarded
6 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Black and red pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Set oven rack as close as possible to heating elements. Broil until tender with some browning (about 20 minutes), turning occasionally.

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spicy Indian-style cauliflower with edamame

by Heguiberto on May 4, 2010

I’ve been feeling like eating Indian food lately. There are a few great restaurants here in San Francisco for South Indian, like Dosa and Udupi Palace. However, whenever possible, I prefer making Indian food at home. This way I learn more about the cuisine and I can play with the ingredients that go into each dish.
Often, I’ll use less ghee or cream or even replace them with something else. We’re trying to eat less dairy lately. Adding things like edamame is also something that works well though I suspect that you won’t find that at an Indian restaurant.

spicy Indian-style cauliflower with edamame

I served this spicy cauliflower with okra edamame aloo mutter and cumin carrot basmati rice. The meal was delightful, flavorful and the leftovers; as is frequently the case, was even more incredible.

pan roasted cauliflower at rest

Spicy Indian-style Cauliflower with Edamame

1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 cup frozen edamame
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 onion, minced in food processor
3 ripe Roma tomatoes, skin removed, chopped
1 tsp fresh ground ginger
1 tsp fresh mashed garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne chili pepper
Kosher salt
Pinch garam masala
4 tbsp olive oil

cumin seeds make this dish pop!

Place 1 tbsp of oil in a hot skillet. Add cauliflower and cook on high, stirring occasionally until cauliflower browns a bit. Set aside. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add cumin seeds and toast a minute or so. Add onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until raw smells are gone and the air gets permeated with a sweet onion aroma. Add tomatoes and cook until dissolved. Fold in cauliflower and garam masala. Salt to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes over very low heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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penne in cauliflower sauce

by Stevie on December 7, 2009

I came across this recipe in a Marcella Hazan cookbook while browsing through the new Tyler Florence Shop on our recent excursion to Mill Valley. I’m always looking for new recipes for pasta. This cauliflower dish appealed to me too as I often struggle with this vegetable. How do you make it taste interesting and not just like cauliflower? Hegui insists that Indian is the way to go. And it’s true that cauliflower in Indian cuisine makes perfect sense and always “fits.” Problem is, I don’t really make that much Indian, preferring Italian and Mediterranean cooking. This dish, then, is perfect. It’s easy to make and tasty; with the subtle flavors of anchovy, pecorino and cauliflower. I love it.

penne in cauliflower sauce

penne in cauliflower sauce

Penne in Cauliflower Sauce

1 head fresh cauliflower
½ cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
4 anchovy fillets
Kosher salt, black and crushed red pepper to taste
Small bunch Italian parsley, chopped
Pecorino cheese, grated, to taste
1 package penne, cooked per package directions
Finishing olive oil (optional)

organic cauliflower

organic cauliflower

Remove large green leaves from cauliflower head. Cut head in half. Rinse then boil for about 25 minutes. Remove from water and rinse to cool. Cook penne in same boiling water.

While penne is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic cloves and anchovies. Cook until aroma of garlic permeates area. Remove garlic and discard. Add boiled cauliflower. With a large fork or tongs, break cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in olive oil for several minutes to brown slightly. Add salt, black and crushed red peppers and parsley.

Drain penne and fold into cauliflower sauce. Pour into serving dish. Add cheese and adjust salt. Splash a bit of finishing olive oil on top and serve.

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