Look for compact, cream- colored florets, tightly packed with bright green leaves. Avoid black spots or wilted leaves. Cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber, folate, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. It’s also low in calories: Unadorned, cauliflower has only 25 calories per 1-cup serving. Tucker Shaw
Roasted Cauliflower With Dates and Pine Nuts
From “The Five Ingredient Fix,” by Claire Robinson (Grand Central). Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Evenly spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast, tossing once with a spatula, until golden brown at the edges, about 20 minutes.
Put the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once it’s melted, add the pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and dates and continue cooking until the garlic and dates are softened, 2 to 3 minutes more; season with salt.
Transfer the hot cauliflower to a serving bowl, drizzle the pine nut mixture over the top, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve warm or at room temperature.
Cauliflower Soup
From “I Know How to Cook,” by Ginette Mathiot (Phaidon). Serves 6.
Ingredients
1 medium cauliflower
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
Salt, to taste
Directions
Separate the cauliflower into florets. Bring 6 1/3 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot, add the cauliflower and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, reserving the cooking liquid. Set aside a few very small florets to be added to the soup just before serving. Puree the rest in a food processor or blender and mix with the cornstarch. Thin to a good soup consistency with the cooking liquid, return to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Just before serving, thicken by stirring in the egg yolks, then add the butter and reserved cauliflower florets. Season with salt, if necessary.
Pickled Cauliflower
From “Raw Food for Everyone,” by Alissa Cohen (Avery). The turmeric turns the cauliflower bright yellow. Makes 4 cups.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cardamom pods, crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets
4 garlic cloves, smashed
Directions
Put the vinegar, 1/2 cup water and turmeric in a bowl and whisk to create the brine. Set aside.
Tie the crushed cardamom, fennel, mustard and coriander in a square of cheesecloth to make a sachet. Drop the sachet into a clean quart-sized jar. Add the cauliflower and garlic and cover with brine.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 days before using. These pickles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator.
