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I like cooking with cauliflower year around. I know I can always find it in the produce section of my supermarket and with its mild flavor, it lends itself to all sorts of different dishes. I’ll share a few of my favorites with you here. I hope you and your family will enjoy them as much as mine does.
Let’s Start With The Basics
For most cauliflower dishes, you need to boil or steam the flowerets first. Start by removing the outer leaves of the cauliflower. Then carefully cut out the flowerets. Put them in a colander and give them a good rinse. Cook the cauliflower in lightly salted boiling water until it is tender. Depending on the size of your flowerets that could take anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes.
You can also steam your cauliflower in the microwave. Prepare as above, but instead of boiling, put the flowerets in a microwave safe bowl along with a little water. Put a lid on the bowl and microwave until tender.
Side Suggestions
Cauliflower makes a wonderful side dish in just about any meal. You can simply steam it and serve it with a little butter and freshly ground nutmeg. Cheese sauces are another popular topping. My favorite though is this simple baked cauliflower dish. I takes only 20 minutes in the oven, but the end result is absolutely delicious.
Mashed cauliflower is another favorite of mine. You prepare it the same way you would mashed potatoes, but use cooked cauliflower instead. It has a lot less carbs and calories than traditional mashed potatoes, but a lot of the same flavors and texture. It’s a great substiute when you are watching your weight.
Soup Ideas
Cauliflower is a great addition to all sorts of vegetable soups. Add some to your own favorite like vegetable and beef soup for example. You can also make a quick cauliflower potato soup by cooking both vegetables in some broth. Blend them with an immersion blender when they are tender and add some milk, salt and pepper to taste for a quick but filling soup. Another favorite of mine is this cauliflower carrot soup.
Salad Ideas
Believe it or not, cauliflower is even good in salad. I prefer it raw since it gives you that nice extra crunch and it has a good peppery flavor to it that’s lost in the cooking process. If you prefer, you can also lightly steam the cauliflower first to soften it up a bit. The flavor will become a bit sweeter in the cooking process as well.
If you like your cauliflower raw, try this delicious broccoli and cauliflower salad. It’s great as a special side dish for sunday dinners and also perfect for cookouts and potlucks.
With all these delicious suggestions, I’m sure you’re ready to start experimenting with this popular vegetable. Grab a head of cauliflower the next time you go to the store and start cooking.
Related articles
- Try Healthy Mashed Cauliflower Instead of Mashed Potatoes (notecook.com)
- Don’t Be So Quick to Dismiss Roasted Cauliflower (blogcritics.org)
- Purple Power (mygardentotable.com)
- 5 Healthy Cauliflower Recipes to Brighten Up Winter (fitsugar.com)
- Caramelized Onion & Roasted Cauliflower Tart (missiondelectable.wordpress.com)
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