Cauliflower

The reputation of this pale, mildly flavoured brassica has been transformed in recent years, as chefs and home cooks alike have discovered wonderful new ways to prepare it.

Pickled, roasted, mashed, deep fried and more, cauliflower now ranks among the most popular vegetables. The bonus is that cauliflower is good for you, too, being an excellent source of dietary fibre, as well as vitamins C and K, and potassium.

Like its family member broccoli, a head of cauliflower is made up of masses of tiny flower heads called curds that grow out from a single thick stem to form a firm head. White cauliflowers are the most widely available, but they also come in purple and green versions. Whatever the colour of the florets, look for crisp green leaves and florets that aren’t mottled.

Preparation

The head of a cauliflower is neatly cupped by green leaves that make excellent eating if they’re crisp and fresh. Cut them off at the base, slice away the thickest part of the stem, and slice.Cook these up as you would any other green leafy vegetables: fried off in butter and garlic, or tossed into stews and soups, are lovely ways to enjoy them. Pop a few of the thicker stalks into the pot when making stock but be careful: overcooked cauliflower can smell and taste overpowering, so use the stalks in stock sparingly.

Raw

The soft crunch and delicate flavour of cauliflower makes it a fine candidate for eating raw. Use dainty florets to scoop up humous and other dips, or grate on a box grater to make cauliflower ‘rice’. Tumble these cauli grains with other finely chopped salad ingredients; crisp leaves, red onion or spring onion, soft herbs, cucumber, carrot, tomato and seeds is a tasty mixture. Bind with a lemony tahini or mayonnaise-based dressing for a satisfying salad.

Mash

Mashed potato is one of life’s great joys, but so is mashed cauliflower.Steam the florets until very tender – don’t boil them, as they will become waterlogged.Transfer to a food processor while still warm, season generously with salt and add butter and a splash of cream. Blitz until completely smooth, then add a splash more cream to achieve the consistency you love most. Add flavourings if you like – a pinch of two of ground cumin, garlic granules and some freshly grated lemon zest works beautifully. Or fry off some chopped onion until meltingly soft and sweet and add these to the mix as well. Serve as you would mashed potato as a side dish or topping for cottage, shepherd’s or seafood pies.

Roasted

Roasted cauliflower is a very fine thing, and a blank canvas for an array of other flavours. Cut florets into roughly equal size pieces and toss with olive oil and lots of salt.Then toss with your favourite bonus ingredients: finely grated Parmesan, curry powder, ras el hanout, finely grated lemon zest, ground cumin and smoked paprika are excellent. Spread out in a single layer in a roasting tray so that they don’t touch – and roast in a hot oven until tender and charred at the edges. How long this takes will depend on the size of the florets but check on them after 20 minutes.

Steaks

The surging popularity of plant-based eating has seen a simultaneous boom in consumption of cauliflower “steaks”. Cut a whole cauliflower into 2-3cm thick slices (start in the middle – the outer parts might crumble, so just save these for another use). Rub or brush the steaks well with olive oil and cook in a hot oven-proof frying pan until nicely charred on both sides. Transfer to 200C oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Add a generous knob of butter to the pan five minutes before the steaks have finish cooking and baste well.

Soup

Cauliflower comes into season in cold weather, so it makes perfect sense to turn it into warming soup. In a large pan, cook one finely chopped onion in olive oil and butter until very soft. Add the florets of one cauliflower, one potato cut into cubes and stir to combine. Add about 1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock – just enough to cover – and simmer gently until the vegetables are very tender. Blitz in a food processor or with a hand blender until very smooth. Return to the pan, add a splash of cream, sour cream or crème fraiche and taste for seasoning. Stir in a handful of grated cheddar if you fancy.

Cauliflower cheese

Cauliflower’s affinity with cheese is no better showcased than in the ultimate comfort food, cauliflower cheese. Steam the florets of one cauliflower until tender (again, don’t boil as the cheese sauce will become watery). While this is happening make a white sauce and add generous quantities of grated cheese: cheddar, Parmesan, gruyere and a hint of blue cheese are a glorious combination. Transfer the cooked florets to a baking dish, pour over the cheese sauce and gently stir so all the cauliflower is coated. Top with extra grated cheese or breadcrumbs and bake in a 200C oven for 20 – 30 minutes or until bubbling.