Cauliflower power - Creamy textured vegetable is a good source of vitamin C

[coot]

Third thought it was a diff type of power

C&P'd

You can say we're crazy for cauliflower.

High in fibre, low in fat, we think it's a bit on the shy side when stacked next to its powerful vegetable relatives -- but it has a taste and sensational texture worth celebrating every day.

Raw with a favourite dip (great back-to-school lunch idea) or boiled briefly to a tender-crisp consistency, cauliflower's mild, creamy texture is the perfect foil for just about any flavour. I love to serve it simple with some olive oil and red wine vinegar.

It tastes amazing tossed with garlic-infused bread crumbs and baked to crispy goodness. It's also a perfect base for a creamy soup and a wonderful stand-in for mashed potatoes.

So what if it has a bit of a pungent aroma during cooking. It is, after all, a member of the brassica family, which includes such smelly cousins as broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale and rapini.

All is forgiven when you tuck into a delicious plate of this delicate vegetable with varieties include Snow Crown, Polar Express, Andes, Freemont, Sierra Nevada, Majestic and White Rock.

Foodland Ontario notes cauliflower, which arrived in North America in the late 1600s from Europe, is available now through to mid-autumn.

It's also an excellent source of vitamin C. A large head weighs about 3 pounds (1.5 kg) and serves four.

According to home economist Mairlyn Smith in the award-winning Ultimate Foods For Ultimate Health (Whitecap), cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family and as such contains potent anti-cancer compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates.

Something to chew on next time you're in the produce section of your food store and wondering what vegetable to choose.

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CAULIFLOWER AND CELERY ROOT BUTTERMILK VICHYSSOISE

Recipe courtesy of WISH Magazine

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) EACH vegetable oil and unsalted butter

3 cups (750 ml) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) peeled and diced celery root

4 cups (1 L) cauliflower florets

1 tsp. (5 ml) cumin

3 cups (750 ml) low-sodium vegetable stock

1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk

In a large pot over medium heat, sweat leeks in oil and butter until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add celery root, cauliflower, cumin and stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce temperature to a simmer.

Cook about 10 minutes or until cauliflower and celery root soften.

In a blender, puree soup in batches. Return soup to pot and add buttermilk. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add another cup of stock or water.

Chill 2 hours or more. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot or cold.

Serves 4 to 6.

CAULIFLOWER WITH GARLIC BREAD CRUMBS

Wonderful texture, thanks to the garlic. Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Vegetables.

1 large head cauliflower, about 3 lb. (1.5 kg), cut into bite-size florets

1/4 cup (50 ml) extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp. (25 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely minced (optional)

1 fresh basil leaf, torn (optional)

Pinch hot pepper flakes

2 cups (500 ml) fresh bread crumbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place florets in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and boil until tender, about five minutes (do not overcook.) Remove, drain and rinse under running cold water. Leave to drain.

In a large fry pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic, parsley, basil leaf and hot pepper flakes. Saute five minutes. Add bread crumbs and saute additional five minutes until bread crumbs are thoroughly coated. Season with salt/pepper.

Spray a medium-size casserole dish with cooking spray and spread cauliflower evenly. Cover with bread crumb mixture. Place in a preheated 350F (180C) oven and bake, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes.

Serves 4.

PARMESAN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Roasting cauliflower at a high temperature makes it sweeter, says cookbook author Ina Garten in Barefoot Contessa at Home (Potter)

1 large head cauliflower

3 Tbsp. (45 ml) good quality olive oil

1 cup (250 ml) EACH freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Remove outer green leaves and cut head into florets, discarding stems. Place florets on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once, until cauliflower is tender and starts to brown.

Sprinkle with cheeses and bake for 1-2 more minutes, or just until cheese melts. Season to taste and serve hot or warm.

Serves 4-6.

HEAD HUNTING

- Select firm heads with fine white or creamy white florets and fresh-looking green leaves.

- Brown spots are probably water marks, while a yellowish tinge may indicate age.

- Refrigerate, unwrapped, for up to five days.

- The leaves are edible, with a stronger taste than the head. Wash, chop and use in soups or stock.

[thirdchild]

Originally Posted by coot

Third thought it was a diff type of power

[0utlawwilly]

I have discovered the power of pureeing vegetables and stealthily adding them to my different dishes. My 4 year old son HATED vegetables and most fruits. I have since started adding pureed cauliflower and broccoli to a whole whack load of things and the damnedest thing happened. Now my son actually requests the food that he did not eat before adding the puree.
For example one of his most favourite things now is my homemade mac and cheese. Pre cauliflower puree, he did NOT want mine, just Kraft Dinner. Now, he actually chooses the homemade 'enhanced' mac and cheese over the K-D. I also add the cauliflower to pancakes and mashed potatoes among other things. I add pureed peas or broccoli to rice or noodles and it becomes 'dinosaur' rice, and he actually asks for it now. Strange, but I am not knocking it.