How Caulifower Became More Than a Side Dish

How Caulifower Became More Than a Side Dish

Roasted, puréed or blitzed to make couscous, the humble cauliflower is the main attraction in these inventive recipes

By Jemima Sissons in the Wall Street Journal

CAULIFLOWER WAS ONCE seen as the ugly duckling of vegetables. But this low-key brassica, which belongs to the same family of superfoods as kale, cabbage and broccoli, is coming into its own. Thanks to the trend for all things low-carb, leafy and healthy—cultivated by the likes of British cookbook writers Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley and Ella Woodward (known as Deliciously Ella)—the vegetable, which is high in fiber, low in fat and packed with vitamin C, is being given a more central role on our plates.

The vegetable really starts to show its true colors when it’s dressed with spices or treated to a slow roasting, according to Louis Solley, the British owner of Ashkenazi-inspired restaurant Jago ( jagorestaurant.com ), in London’s Shoreditch. His dishes draw on the culinary heritage of the Ashkenazi diaspora, with its Germanic, Slavic and wider European and American influences. “Cauliflower has an amazing color and texture that, when roasted, completely changes—almost taking on a meaty flavor,” says the chef. “It was the vegetable that could always be put in front of me the whole way through my childhood.”

Not only does it marry well with spices like fenugreek and coriander, it’s a surprisingly versatile ingredient, he explains. “Cauliflower can be used in so many ways—roasted, blanched, puréed and even blitzed to make couscous.”

Although the most common cauliflower is white, there are also yellow and purple varieties, as well as the spiky romanesco, which is firmer and has a sweet, nutty flavor.

Resist the temptation to overcook it. After 30 minutes of boiling, the level of carotenoids—the immune-boosting compound it contains—reduces by 75%. Al dente is the modern way.

LOUIS SOLLEY’S ROAST CAULIFLOWER, ALMONDS AND POMEGRANATE

Total Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

1 white cauliflower
25g butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp turmeric
100 mL double cream
Half a purple or romanesco cauliflower
Drizzle of olive oil, and salt
1 tsp ground coriander
100g flaked almonds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 pomegranate, deseeded
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Roughly chop half the white cauliflower and sweat in a pan with butter, garlic, fenugreek and turmeric, 5 minutes. Add 50 mL water. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

2. Add cream and reduce until mixture coats the back of a spoon and the cauliflower is soft. Purée.

3. Cut the remaining white cauliflower and romanesco into small florets, coat with olive oil, salt and ground coriander. Roast in oven until they start to color, 4-5 minutes.

4.Toast almonds and coriander seeds on low heat until golden.

5. Spread purée on plate and top with roasted cauliflower, toasted seeds and nuts, pomegranate and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil.

CAULIFLOWER ‘PIZZA’ WITH TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA TOPPING

Total Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 1-2

1 cauliflower
50g ground almonds
50g grated Parmesan
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 tsp oil
60 mL passata or tomato sauce
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 mozzarella, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Fresh basil leaves

1. Heat oven to 200C. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and trim the stalk ends, then cut into chunks.

2. Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped.

3. Put all the cauliflower in a bowl, cover with cling film and microwave on high for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Tip onto a clean tea towel. Once cool enough to handle, scrunch up the towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Transfer to a bowl.

4. Stir in the ground almonds, Parmesan, egg and oregano, and season well.

5. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and grease with oil. Spread out the cauliflower mix into a 30cm round pan, making it a little thicker at the edges. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

6. Top the pizza with the passata, cherry tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and sliced garlic.

7. Bake in the oven until melted and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves
and serve.

BEETROOT AND CUMIN CAULIFLOWER ‘RICE’

Total Time: 1 hour | Serves: 4

1 medium cauliflower
2 beetroots
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of chili flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper
100g pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
Handful of flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Remove core and stalks from cauliflower. Pulse the rest in a food processor to make rice-sized grains. Tip into a heatproof bowl, cover with cling film, pierce film, and microwave on high for 7 minutes—no need to add water.

2. Cut the beetroot into small cubes, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chili flakes and salt. Roast in a metal tray at 180C until soft, about 40 minutes.

3. Dry-toast pumpkin and cumin seeds in a pan. Stir into the “rice” with the beetroot. Season and garnish with parsley.