Crazy for cauliflower
For a long time, I wouldn't touch cauliflower.
To me, raw cauliflower was a hunk of dense blandness.
My cauliflower conversion started at a local Mediterranean deli. There was roasted curried cauliflower on the buffet. Despite my negative cruciferous history, I was intrigued enough to try it. It was delicious. That tender cauliflower had soaked up every bit of those flavors.
Now my budding love for cauliflower has sparked a cooking binge. I have boiled it, roasted it and even sauteed it. I have served it with pasta, served it as steaks and even enjoyed it finely diced and raw in a relish.
Locally, I started seeing cauliflower on menus. A cauliflower steak is served on a biscuit with red pepper ragu and goat cheese at Durham's Rise bakery.
Cauliflower in Easter colors of mint green, purple and a pale orange appeared in course after course at Herons restaurant at The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary, N.C. There cauliflower is served as a chowder with bacon, capers and golden raisins, as a salad, thinly sliced and drizzled with hazelnuts, almonds and parmesan cheese, and as a s ide dish, blanched, tossed with brown butter and topped with an aged cheddar cheese.
Herons chef Scott Crawford is a cauliflower fan, citing its versatility as an entree, a side or an accent on a dish. “It can be the star, or the texture, or the vehicle,” he said.
When I started poring over cookbooks, I was surprised to see so many dishes from the Mediterranean included cauliflower. I reached out to award-winning cookbook author Martha Rose Shulman for an explanation.
“We do think of other vegetables like tomatoes and eggplant when we think of Mediterranean food, but that's probably because most people travel from the United States to the Mediterranean in the summer, when those vegetables are in season,” Shulman wrote in an email. “Cauliflower is popular everywhere in the Mediterranean, not just in the winter but year-round.”
I found this recipe while seeking to re-create my favorite cauliflower dish served at Mediterranean delis. This dish can be made up to two hours ahead. From epicurious.com.12 cups cauliflower florets (from about 4 pounds cauliflower)1 large onion, peeled, quartered1 teaspoon coriander seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds¾ cup olive oil½ cup red wine vinegar3½ teaspoons curry powder1 tablespoon paprika or Hungarian hot paprika1¾ teaspoons saltFreshly ground black pepper¼ cup chopped fresh cilantroHeat oven to 450 degrees. Place cauliflower florets in large roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet. Pull apart onion quarters into separate layers; add to cauliflower. Stir coriander seeds and cumin seeds in small skillet over medium heat until slightly darkened, about 5 minutes. Crush coarsely in mortar with pestle. Place seeds in medium bowl. Whisk in oil, vinegar, curry powder, paprika and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in single layer. Sprinkle with pepper.Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 450-degree oven for 10 minutes, if desired.)Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.Yields 6 to 8 servings.
It’s hard to get more than two complete steaks from one head of cauliflower. That’s fine if you are only serving two people. Otherwise, buy more than one head of cauliflower. Instead of plum tomatoes, feel free to saute 6 tablespoons canned diced tomatoes with diced garlic cloves instead of roasting before pureeing. From Bon Appetit magazine, January 2012.1 large head of cauliflower½ cup pitted oil-packed black olives, finely chopped3 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced, soaked for 4 minutes for warm water3½ tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1 teaspoon fresh lemon juiceKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper3 garlic cloves2 plum tomatoes, cored, quarteredRemove leaves and trim stem end of cauliflower, leaving core intact. Place cauliflower core side down on a work surface. Using a large knife, slice cauliflower into four ½-inch “steaks” from center of cauliflower (some florets will break loose; reserve).Finely chop enough loose florets to measure ½ cup. Transfer chopped florets to a small bowl and mix with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, parsley and lemon juice. Season relish with salt and pepper.Heat oven to 400 degrees.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook cauliflower steaks until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes per side, adding 1 tablespoon oil to pan between batches.Transfer steaks to a large rimmed baking sheet. Reserve skillet. Roast cauliflower until tender, about 15-18 minutes, turning halfway through.Return skillet to medium-high heat and add garlic cloves and tomatoes, one cut side down. Cook until tomatoes are browned; turn tomatoes over and transfer skillet to oven with cauliflower. Roast garlic and tomatoes until tender, about 12 minutes.Transfer garlic, tomatoes, and ½ tablespoon oil to a blender; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Divide tomato sauce among plates. Place 1 cauliflower steak on each plate; spoon relish over. Serve warm or at room temperature.Yield: 2-4 servings.
