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Cauliflower is a representative of the mustard family with a nutty flavor.
You can cook many different meals from this product: salads, cold and hot snacks, soups, or side dishes for meat and fish. There are also many cooking options: baking, stewing or frying in a pan skillet.
Learn here how to choose and cook cauliflower properly and surprise your loved ones with healthy dishes!
How to choose cauliflower
Pay special attention to the correct choice of cauliflower. Follow certain criteria:
- There should be no dirt, plaque, brown spots, or traces of mechanical damage on the surface.
- The inflorescences of cauliflower may be white or have a slightly pronounced yellowish tint.
- Inflorescences should fit as tightly as possible to each other.
- Cauliflower should be dense and elastic.
- The weight of cauliflower should correspond to its size (too light cauliflower can be grown at an accelerated pace with the help of chemicals, there will be no juiciness in the inflorescences).
- Inflorescences of high-quality cauliflower should not be damaged.
How to cut cauliflower properly
Before cooking cauliflower, you must cut the vegetable properly. First, brush the product and rinse it under cold water. It will help get rid of excess dust and dirt.
To cut the cauliflower, remove the outer leaves, and then cut the flowers at the base where the stems meet. Detailed instructions for slicing a vegetable involves the following actions:
- Remove the leaves and cut the head across the center into four quarters.
- Take a quarter of cauliflower. Place it vertically with a slice on a cutting board and delete the core.
- Disassemble the quarters with the removed stalk into inflorescences. Cut the large inflorescences into pieces.
Cauliflower: pros and cons
Cauliflower is a common vegetable crop with a rich vitamin and mineral composition. It is one of the few plant foods with high iron content. Cauliflower also contains a large amount of vitamins C, A, B, PP, potassium, calcium, sodium, and phosphorus. It is a low-calorie product, only 100 grams contains 25 calories.
Vegetable protein will help to gain and strengthen muscle mass, improve skin color and tone, constantly cultivate and spend energy potential. Fiber stimulates the digestive tract and significantly accelerates metabolism.
But, do not forget about the carbohydrate component of the vegetable. From 100 grams of raw product, we get 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.9 grams of sugar. It is an overestimated and dangerous indicator for those who suffer from diabetes or are simply afraid of gaining excess weight.
Can you eat cauliflower raw?
Even though we are used to eating cauliflower after heat treatment (boiled, fried in oil, or stewed), it is quite suitable for consumption in raw form. In this state, vegetable culture retains more vitamins and nutrients.
For example, the amount of vitamin A after heat treatment becomes significantly reduced due to decomposition. The low fiber content and delicate structure of the vegetable make the product excellent for consumption in raw form.
You can eat fresh cauliflower like any other fruit, but it is better to combine it with salads.
What goes with roasted cauliflower
Cauliflower goes well with different vegetables – tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, broccoli, and pepper. Also, a variety of spices and herbs are suitable for that product – curry, basil, and fresh thyme. Cauliflower and chicken will be an excellent combination – you can bake everything in the oven, season with herbs, and grated parmesan cheese.
Select the necessary combination of products depending on the purpose. If you want something satisfying, roast cauliflower with potatoes. If you want to get a dietary dish – combine a vegetable with eggs and herbs.
Is it necessary to boil cauliflower before cooking?
To soften the structure of cauliflower, pre-boil the product. Heat treatment also helps to preserve the vegetable internal juices. Rinse and peel the cauliflower, remove unnecessary parts. Next, place the vegetable in boiling water for 15-20 minutes.
In the process of boiling the cabbage leaves the smell and partially the bitterness. Professional chefs advise using enameled dishes with thick walls for faster results.
Do not neglect the preliminary boiling of cauliflower. It will help reduce the total cooking time by 5-7 minutes.
How do you keep roasted cauliflower from mushy?
The indicator of perfectly roasted cauliflower is a golden crispy crust. However, with the wrong cooking technology, the vegetable becomes soft and loses its crunch. What can lead to such a problem?
- You have not dried the cauliflower. After washing, be sure to dry the vegetable with paper towels. It will help to remove excess moisture and will not allow softening of the product from the inside.
- Put cauliflower in the same pan with other vegetables. The products will secrete juice, which will soften our dish.
- Covered the pan with a lid. So you changed the frying technology to stewing or steaming. This method of preparation will deprive the cauliflower of a crispy crust.
Cauliflower roasting temperature
The time of cauliflower preparation plays an important role. You have to achieve the perfect effect and get a crispy crust. What frying time do you need to observe? If you have previously cooked a vegetable, fry the cauliflower for about 5-7 minutes. I
With no pre-heat treatment, cook the dish for 10-15 minutes. It is also significant to pay attention to the size of the cauliflower inflorescences – large pieces require more roasting time.
How to roast a head of cauliflower
To roast a head cauliflower properly, use a cheese batter. It will help keep the product soft inside and crispy outside. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- cauliflower – 500 grams
- salt – 0.5 teaspoons
- hard cheese – 100 grams
- wheat flour – 3-4 tablespoons
- egg – 1 piece
- ground black pepper – 1-2 pinches
- refined oil – 1 cup
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Disassemble the cabbage into inflorescences, cut off the stalk with a sharp knife.
- Boil in salted water for 5 minutes from the moment of boiling. Drain the water to remove excess liquid.
- Combine the raw egg with a pinch of salt, pepper, grated cheese, and flour.
- Dip the cabbage into the batter from all sides.
- Heat the refined oil in a frying pan. Roast head of a cauliflower in batter until a beautiful golden crust appears.
- Put the cauliflower on a napkin to absorb excess fat. Serve the cabbage hot with your favorite sauces.
Basic roasted cauliflower
You can turn fried cauliflower into a delicious caramelized snack using just a few simple ingredients:
- peeled cauliflower florets
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
Just heat a frying pan, add enough olive oil and roast the cauliflower inflorescences. After adding salt, the dish acquires an oily nutty taste.
Curry roasted cauliflower
Roasted cauliflower with curry is a great addition to any homemade lunch or dinner. To make the dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- a head of cauliflower
- curry powder – 2 tsp
- salt and pepper – to taste
- cumin – ½ tsp
- coriander seeds – a pinch
- butter – 40 g
- parsley and dill – to taste
- thick yogurt – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Wash the cauliflower, disassemble it into inflorescences and boil for 5 minutes in salted water.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan, put the cabbage, and add the curry.
- Stir fry until golden brown.
In the end, add salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander, warm up for a minute. Serve the finished cauliflower with herbs and yogurt.
Baked cauliflower with cheese recipe
Cauliflower baked in the oven with cheese is an excellent solution for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a unique versatile dish that you can serve as an appetizer or side dish. To make a recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- cauliflower – 500 g
- chicken egg — 1 piece
- sour cream – 3 tbsp
- semi-hard cheese (Russian) – 100 g
- garlic – 2 teeth.
- black pepper (ground)
- butter (for lubrication)
- sea salt, dill
Step-by-step instructions for preparing:
- Break an egg into a bowl, add sour cream, crushed garlic, salt, chopped dill, and ground black pepper.
- Mix everything thoroughly to get the sauce.
- Pour the cabbage sauce (1 tablespoon per mold).
- Sprinkle everything liberally with grated cheese.
- Place the baking sheets with molds in the preheated oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Spicy roasted cauliflower recipe
Spicy cauliflower is a simple dish that has low-calorie content, is well absorbed, and contains a lot of nutrients necessary for our body. Also, the recipe has a fast cooking time. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- cauliflower (fresh or frozen) – 500 grams
- olive oil – 2 teaspoons
- garlic cloves – 2 pieces
- soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
- lime – 1 piece
- green onion – to taste
- hot sauce – 1 tablespoon
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Clean the cauliflower head from the leaves, rinse it with running water and remove the thick stalk.
- Break the cabbage into large inflorescences directly with your hands, cutting off some especially thick stems with a knife.
- Divide each inflorescence into small pieces with a knife to make smaller parts.
- Peel the garlic cloves, rinse with cool water, dry and chop very finely with a knife.
- Rinse the green onions well with warm water, cut off the whitish part, and chop the remaining greens into thin and small rings.
- Rinse the lime thoroughly and divide it into halves. If there are bones on the slices, be sure to remove them with the tip of a knife.
- Heat a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan.
- Pour cauliflower and finely chopped garlic into the hot oil. Periodically stirring, fry everything over high-medium heat until a golden crust forms on all sides.
- Turn down the heat to a minimum and pour soy sauce into the cabbage. By the way, precisely because we use soy sauce, there is no need to salt the dish.
- Squeeze the lime juice, holding the fruit seeds with a tablespoon so that they do not fall into the pan.
- Add half of the green onions and mix everything well. Cook the cabbage for 1 minute, stirring all the time.
How long to roast cauliflower
You can easily overcook oven roasted cauliflower so it will turn out boiled and tasteless. In addition, prolonged heat treatment destroys part of the nutrients.
Various cauliflower recipes provide different prep time for the product. Roast vegetables for 5-7 minutes on each side after pre-boiling. It is easy to check the readiness of the dish: if a golden crust appears, it means that the cabbage is ready.
You can also pierce the inflorescence with a match. If the cabbage has not been cooked beforehand, then fry it for about 15 minutes on high heat.
How to cook cauliflower in the oven
There are many side dish recipes – rice, potatoes, pasta. However, they are not suitable for a low-calorie diet. Give preference to cauliflower cooked in the oven. This dish will replenish your body with saturated fat, vitamins, and minerals. To make the recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- cauliflower (you can use both frozen and fresh) – 500 g
- firm cheese – 100 g
- sour cream – 100 g
- freshly ground greens (parsley, dill) – 1 bunch
- spices (salt pepper, dry herbs) – 1 tsp
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- lemon juice (or lemon zest) – to taste
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Cook the cauliflower, adding olive oil, salt, and pepper to the water.
- Prepare the sauce – rub a few cloves of garlic, chop the herbs, mix with sour cream and soy sauce.
- Preheat the oven. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the product there. Bake for 15 minutes at an oven temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add lemon juice or zest to the dish per serving.
Seasonings for cauliflower
Any seasonings are appropriate with cauliflower, especially greens, dried onions, peppers. This vegetable has a neutral taste, which requires suitable spices to improve taste. Use the following combinations of herbs:
- Dried herbs – rosemary, saffron, smoked paprika, fennel.
- Fresh herbs – dill, parsley, basil.
- Sharp spices – turmeric, ground coriander, thyme, allspice.
- Savory spices – oregano, Dijon cinnamon, cloves.
You can use ready-made kits, such as roast chicken spices. However, they often contain artificial flavors, dyes, taste enhancers, so you need to carefully read the composition.
Storage rules
To keep the vegetable in the refrigerator, prepare food wrap, paper, plastic bags, and containers. You can store cauliflower longer in the basement or cellar. There are several ways to ensure long-term storage:
- Hanging upside down by the stalk. Hang the heads on the twine at a distance of 6-8 cm from each other. So they will not deteriorate for 1-1.5 months.
- Burying the roots in clean sand. It is a great way to keep the cabbage in the cellar.
- By placing them in boxes on shelves. Cut off the upper leaves and roots of the heads, spread them out so that they do not touch each other. Then cover the boxes with cardboard.
Expert tips and tricks
Follow the advice of experts so that cooking cauliflower won’t bring you any problems:
- Choose medium-sized products to increase the cooking time. Vegetables should be bite sized.
- Defrost the food at room temperature so that the cauliflower retains its internal juice.
- When roasting in the oven, lay out the cauliflower on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a sheet pan with aluminum foil. It will prevent the edges from burning too quickly.
- Use a convection oven to make easy roasted cauliflower. Establish the convection settings to make the cooking process close to the air fryer.
Closing
There are many vegetable recipes, but cauliflower will conquer all lovers of healthy cuisine. Follow the garnish instructions to cook the classic variations right.
However, you can experiment and make cauliflower steaks or cabbage stew. If you’re short on time, just toss the cauliflower into boiling water and add some salt!