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FOOD

trimmed into florets then run through a food processor to create a small grain, about the size of a grain of rice. We boiled, steamed, sautéed, roasted, toasted and failed. This is not to say that these methods did not deliver delicious cauliflower, but they still retained too much of the actual cauliflower taste that we were trying to mute. Finally, cooking it tossed with a tablespoon of water or stock for two to three minutes in a microwave proof bowl covered with plastic wrap gave us a nicely cooked grain that wasn’t waterlogged or mushy. To treat it like rice, salt and pepper it. If you’re feeling extravagant, toss it with unsalted butter. Yes, it will still have a bit of cauliflower sweetness; however, it is tasty enough to stand on its own. Now, for mashed potatoes. Go ahead, boil it in water for three or four minutes until soft, and drain it as well as possible—squeezing through several layers of cheesecloth will do the job. Mash the cooked cauliflower grains as finely as possible using a potato masher. Pushing it through a ricer, if you have one, is the best technique for a smooth purée. Cauliflower is the new kale.

O ur cauliflower crusade began with a dinner party when it was impossible to find out if any guests were gluten-free or even vegetarian. The crux of the mission was to serve a dish that would please everyone without making it an issue of dietary restrictions. Cauliflower couscous. The recipe was new to me, but in the final taste test delicious as a side dish or as an entree.Well worth a rerun. The recipe is below. After discovering that no one was vegetarian, we sautéed a few shrimp and added them for a little extra flavor. Almost any protein may be added. That’s not to say we don’t love cauliflower just as it is, a delicious vegetable either cut into florets then boiled or steamed and buttered (adding your favorite grated cheese) or lightly tossed in olive oil. Seasoned and roasted in the oven for nice golden, crunchy edges. But we all know how to do that. If you don’t, let us know and we’ll tell you how to create tabletop magic. It turns out that cauliflower is one of those healthy vegetables that can put on a show and appear costumed in many disguises. The second recipe was developed while discussing cauliflower with a friend, someone who was faithful to her low carb diet but longing for rice or potatoes. We challenged ourselves to experiment with cooking methods. For couscous or faux rice or potatoes, the raw cauliflower should be The Cauliflower Challenge by Kit Wohl

Salt, pepper, unsalted butter and a splash of white truffle oil is so close to the real deal you might cry. If there is any left over, make patties mixed with a beaten egg and some chopped green onion. Then dredge the patties in seasoned flour to fry up nicely. Shaya and Dominica owner Chef Alon Shaya made whole roasted cauliflower famous almost overnight at Dominica. The cauliflower world went bonkers. Variations on his recipe are easily found on the Internet and impressive enough to serve a cruciferous flavor-loving crowd. Imagine a healthy onion mum offered whole so everyone can snag a piece or two for themselves. A little exotic and unexpected. It can double as a centerpiece. Other chefs treat it as a steak, trimming it a bit then slicing lengthwise, working out from the center into 1-inch thick slabs. Fry them in shallow vegetable oil, browning on both sides in a cast iron skillet. Then pop the skillet into a preheated 350-degree oven for ten minutes. Brush tops with olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper. Test the steak with a fork to make sure it is cooked through but not mushy. A little firmness delivers the best taste. Happily, cauliflower is a vegetable that doesn’t require a vegetarian to savor it. It has all of the attributes of being a clean, healthy main course or side dish seasoned and cooked using almost any method that pleases you.

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