cauliflower

Market Matters: Roasted Sicilian Style Cauliflower

16 Jan 2011
cauliflower

I thought I'd bring you a warm and seasonal, comforting cauliflower recipe. It's full of bold flavors like lemon and anchovies. It's got breadcrumbs to give it a satisfying crunch, and it's roasted in the oven. Making this a very easy winter recipe. You might even see it as a healthier, cheeseless gratin.

But I gotta tell ya, the weather has been so spectacular in Los Angeles lately. It's hard to focus on winter vegetables when it is nearly 80 degrees with blue skies and blinding sunshine.

But focus we must. So during this week's trip to the Hollywood Farmers Market I trained my lens on cauliflower. Mark Twain once quipped it was ''a cabbage with a college education". Today they'd just say it was part of the "elite, liberal establishment". But Ivy League or no, cauliflower is another wonderful vegetable often given the cold shoulder by cooks.
 
Love it or hate it you may; but you cannot deny that cauliflower is very versatile. It has a wonderful mellow quality to it and just like broccoli and cabbage (crucifers) it is easily influenced by whatever other tastes you choose to pair with it.

So it is very difficult for me to understand all the misunderstandings surrounding this vegetable. It has come in and out of vogue many times in it's nearly 600 year culinary service to mankind. It may have its roots in the Far East, but it made its way to the Mediterranean where it caught on and became a staple for a very long time.


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Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Anchovies

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Anchovies
By jgreghenry Published January 15, 2011
Prep time: 60
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 anchovy fillets
  • 0.5 c good quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 lemon juice and zest, separated
  • 0 salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 0.5 c seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 c water

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Wash, dry, and remove any of the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Detach the stem by making a cone-shaped cut into the bottom of the cauliflower, and break the cauliflower up into large florets, following its natural stem pattern as much as possible. This will yield a variety of sizes. Use you judgment about further cuts, but each piece should be about 1 to 3 bites. Using a mini food processor, pulse the garlic and anchovies until chunky. With the machine running add 1/4 cup of the olive oil using the drip tube in until a creamy paste is achieved. Pulse in the juice and set aside. In a large bowl add cauliflower and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, Toss with the anchovy mixture, tossing to coat all the florets very evenly. Pour the coated cauliflower into a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold it all in one layer. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs all over the top, then drizzle with the remaining 1/4-cup olive oil. Put it in oven and until roast until golden brown, approximately 12-15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, lower heat to 350, and continue cooking for 30-35 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven, place on a large platter. Serves four.

Notes:

serves 4

Thai Coconut Curry Pairs Well with Hall Napa Valley Merlot

23 Nov 2010
curry ingredients

Today I thought I'd cook something a bit different from my usual fare. It's something light and healthy (in prepartion of the gorging I plan to participate in starting tomorrow).

I also thought I'd cook something my friend Helen might like. Because you see I have a plan! Between FoodBuzz Project Food Blog, the holidays, FoodBuzz Festival and all my regular duties both here and at home, I have been as busy as I have ever been in my entire life. Now I know I tend toward broad, all-encompassing statements. But really. Things have just been madness lately. I need a bit of help around here.

So, by cooking something that Helen might like– I figured she might be just the friend I need to lighten my editorial load just a tad. Because I know Helen, so I know that whatever Helen eats she prefers to pick the wine to go with it too. I have a wine fridge full of wines waiting be tasted and evaluated. See where I am going with this? With Helen on the wine, that's one less thing for me to do.

She rummaged around and chose 2006 Hall Napa Valley Merlot. It's a bottle that's been in my wine fridge for a few months, waiting for its moment to come forward. I was given this wine at an event benefiting Gulf Restoration, called LA Helps LA (Los Angeles Helps Louisiana). Hosted by Gisele Perez of Small Pleasures Catering. I tasted it at the event and was very impressed. So I knew it was a bottle that would appeal to Helen.

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Vegetarian Coconut Curry with Tofu

coconit curry with tofu
By jgreghenry Published November 23, 2010
Prep time: 30
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 0.25 c dry shredded baking-type coconut, unsweetened
  • 2 c firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
  • 2 c vegetable stock
  • 1.5 c canned coconut milk
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 4 clv garlic, peeled and minced
  • 3 t thai style chili paste, or to taste
  • 3 T soy sauce
  • 1 3-inch piced ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 0 juice of 1 lime
  • 2 t brown sugar
  • 1 small sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed in 3/4-inch pieces
  • 2 c cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 c mushrooms, sliced or left whole if small
  • 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced
  • 1 c snow peas, left whole or cut in half
  • 0 ciliantro leaves to taste as garnish
  • 0 pean nut oil, as needed for wok

Directions

Heat a large wok over medium heat. Place shredded coconut in the dry wok. Stir continuously until the coconut is nicely toasted. Tip toasted coconut into a bowl to cool. Return the wok to the stove. Raise the temperature to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. peanut oil plus the onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, or until onion begins to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Turn the heat to high. Add stock plus kaffir lime leaves, chili sauce, and most of the toasted coconut (reserve 1 to 1+1/2 Tbsp. for garnish). Stir everything together. Add the sweet potato (or yam) and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the mushrooms, and tofu, stirring to incorporate. Cover and simmer 2 more minutes. Add the bell pepper and snow peas, simmer 2-3 minutes, or until snow peas have softened but are still bright green. Turn heat down to low and add the coconut milk plus the soy sauce, stirring to dissolve. Add the coconut milk to taste, depending on how creamy or how much sauce you want with your curry. Remove from heat and do a taste-test for salt and spice, adding more chili paste, soy sauce or salt as needed. To serve: scoop the curry onto individual plates or into serving bowls. Top with fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted coconut. Serve jasmine or brown rice on the side.

Notes:

serves 6

Aloo Gobi

aloo gobi
By jgreghenry Published March 8, 2010
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 T vegetable oil
  • 1 t black mustard seeds
  • 1 t whole cumin seeds
  • 0.5 t whole cloves
  • 1 T grated garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 1 T grated ginger (about 1″ knob)
  • 2 medium onions minced
  • 1 chili minced (i used a habanero but if that’s too spicy you can use a serano chili)
  • 2 t garam masala
  • 0.5 tumeric
  • 2 t kosher salt
  • 2 t honey (or vegan sugar)
  • 0.5 c water
  • 3 yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 0.5 c green peas
  • 0 cilantro hand torn (for garnish)

Directions

Heat heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until very hot and add the oil. Add the mustard seeds, cumin and cloves and stir until the spices begin to crackle. Add the ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant then add the onion. Fry this mixture until the onions are soft and just starting to turn brown, then add the chili, garam masala, turmeric, salt, honey, water and potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, add the cauliflower and cook until everything is tender, another 30-40 minutes. Add the lemon juice and peas at the very end and serve the Aloo Gobi garnished with cilantro alongside some basmati rice and raita.