Whole miso roasted cauliflower makes a great centrepiece. Photo / Babiche Martens
Cauliflower’s versatility means its popularity ranks as an economic yet creative choice. Here, we take a closer look at this modest vegetable which manages to punch above its weight.
Cauliflower’s popularity has had some highs and lows over the years. It was once a much-maligned vegetable, boiled to within an inch of its life, mushy and largely tasteless.
Cauliflower cheese came to the rescue some of the time - just about anything is good smothered in a cheesy sauce. And then cauliflower suddenly found some limelight when the paleo diet was at its height and it was served as a carb replacement, in the form of “rice” and pizza bases.
Clever chefs also started doing lots of new and interesting things with cauliflower, and this has now filtered down into our home repertoires.
Here we examine the humble cauli, with a raft of recipes perhaps even cauliflower haters will find favour among.
The name “cauliflower” is derived from Latin, meaning “cabbage flower”, a nod to its close relation to cabbage. The plant itself is characterised by its compact head of undeveloped flower buds, which are typically white but can also appear in vibrant hues like orange, purple or green, depending on the variety.
Botanically, cauliflower is classified under the genus Brassica, alongside other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It thrives in cool climates and is grown worldwide.
In India, particularly in Punjab, it is celebrated as a key ingredient in the beloved dish aloo gobi. Here’s a simple aloo gobi recipe to try.
While cauliflower is often steamed, roasted or eaten raw as crudites, its versatility allows for more creative culinary explorations. One intriguing use is cauliflower “steaks”, thick slices of cauliflower roasted and seasoned to mimic the texture and heartiness of a traditional steak. Angela Casley’s recipe for baked cauliflower steaks with a black bean and olive salsa is a great introduction to this method.
Cauliflower can also be pureed into a silky soup - we love this creamy mussel and cauliflower chowder with crunchy croutons recipe - transformed into deep-fried morsels, like in this recipe for golden cauliflower bites with mint and feta, or for a complete show-stopper, roasted whole, such as in this roasted miso cauliflower recipe.
Another inventive application is cauliflower “rice”, made by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble grains of rice. This low-calorie, low-carb substitute can be stir-fried, used in sushi rolls, or incorporated into fried rice dishes for a healthy twist. Or try it in this reciple for cauliflower rice-stuffed bell peppers.
Of course, cauliflower and cheese is a match made in heaven -and this cauliflower mac and cheese with crispy prosciutto recipe (pictured near the top) is a cut above.
Cauliflower is far more than just a humble vegetable; it’s a culinary chameleon, capable of taking on various forms and flavours to make our five-plus-a-day a pleasure.