King cauli

Cauliflower is King by Leanne Kitchen.

As a child, Justine Tyerman remembers the only way cauliflower was ever served was boiled to mushy oblivion and then drowned with a thick cheese sauce to provide some flavour. But now cauli is regarded as an über-cool super vegetable . . . in fact professional chef and cookbook author Leanne Kitchen (yes, that’s her real name) regards cauli as a ‘blue blooded’ noble, a king among vegetables, no less.

Cauliflower is King contains 70 delicious recipes for what chef and author Leanne Kitchen describes as the world’s most versatile and best-loved super vegetable.

Introduced in the very first sentence of the book as “big and boofy,” Kitchen goes so far as to say “too much cauliflower is never enough . . . Bow down. The reign of cauliflower glory is upon us.”

As well as being the lowest-carb vegetable there is, cauliflower is also a premium brain food due to the fact it is rich in choline which is essential for brain development and helps repair and maintain cell membranes.

Not only is it a healthy wholefood staple, it’s also a culinary fashion statement, writes Kitchen who has watched the rise and rise of this “the chameleon of the vegetable world,” to “blue blood” status.

Kitchen presents an array of snacks, starters, soups, salads, mains, pizzas, tarts, pies, scones, cheesecake, brownies and accompaniments which prove the versatility and popularity of the cauli around the globe.

“The real Mr Worldwide, cauliflower features in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, French, Spanish, Italian, Indian and Anglo dishes” which are roasted to golden perfection, barbecued, stir-fried, baked whole or in a pizza crust, and of course, the carb-dodger’s delight, cauliflower rice . . . but never ever boiled.

There are many variations on the cauli theme including purple, green, orange and cute tiny ones the size of tennis balls.

The author Leanne Kitchen, a professional chef for 14 years, has worked in food and travel publishing for the past ten years. She has extensive experience as a food stylist, recipe writer, cookbook author and editor, and as a travel features writer. She has published several books with Murdoch Books, including Turkey: Recipes and tales from the road (2011); The Butcher, The Baker, The Greengrocer, The Dairy series; and The Produce Bible. She operates Red Pork Press with Antony Suvalko (with whom she is the co-author of The Real Food of China and East, from Hardie Grant).Cauliflower is King by Leanne Kitchen

Published by Murdoch Books

Distributed by Allen & Unwin

RRP $22.99

Caramelised cauliflower and smoked salmon crostiniCaramelised cauliflower? How do you do that, I hear you ask? Well, according to Kitchen, if you cook cauli for long enough in a little oil, its natural sugars will concentrate and become more pronounced, a.k.a. caramelise.

“Cauli cooked this way develops a sweet nuttiness that’s quite intense and is the perfect foil for salty smoked salmon. It also works with prosciutto, which you could try here instead. Just skip the crème fraîche in that case, and garnish with basil leaves.”

Ingredients:

1 day-old baguette

Olive oil, for brushing

250g smoked salmon

Crème fraîche and dill sprigs, to garnish

CARAMELISED CAULIFLOWER

800g (or 1 small) cauliflower, trimmed

and cut into 1cm (½ inch) pieces

60ml extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons whole-egg mayonnaise

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the cauliflower in a baking dish in a single layer, drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat well.Bake for 40 minutes or until deep golden and very tender. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a food processor with the mayonnaise. Process until the mixture is smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.Cut the baguette into 1cm thick slices and place on a baking tray in a single layer. Brush lightly with olive oil, then bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Cool.Spread the crostini thickly with the cauliflower mixture. Tear the salmon into small pieces and divide among the crostini. Spoon a little crème fraîche on to each, then top with a piece of dill. Serve immediately.Makes about 40 crostini.