Tag Archives: Cauliflower

January 12, 2012 · 3:07 pm

recipe goodness :: wild child broccoflower and celery root soup

Broccoflower Celery Root Soup

I recently tried a soup from food52’s Genius Recipe series that promised preparation simplicity with unsuspected flavor complexity. The soup only has three main ingredients, one of which is water, with the other two being cauliflower and onion. Immediate reaction: plain peasant soup? But if you trust in Paul Bertolli {of Chez Panisse and Oliveto}, you will quickly realize the genius in this preparation creates a smooth, slightly sweet, creamy blend you would swear had a fair dose of artery-damaging cream. It does not.

So after making and happily consuming several batches of Paul’s cauliflower soup, I decided to apply his technique to other favorite wintry veg and see if the results were equally outstanding. Enter the wild child broccoflower — an offspring of the marriage between broccoli and cauliflower, it has the subtle broccoli flavor with the hearty cauliflower architecture. I decided to also throw in some celery root for it’s unique flavor that I thought would add an additional brightness to the bowl. Result? Success round two.

Bright Green Broccoflower

Wild Child Broccoflower and Celery Root Winter Soup

Adapted from Paul Bertolli’s Cauliflower Soup | Serves 8

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 head broccoflower, broken into florets
1 celery root bulb, peeled and sliced thinly
Salt to taste
6 cups water, divided
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
Add the broccoflower, celery root, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency {or use an immersion blender in the pot, being careful not to let hot soup splash onto you}. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
Thin the soup with 1/2-1 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Steam the Broccoflower Florets and Celery Root

Brrrrrrrring on Other Warming Wintry Dishes:
Best Butternut Squash and Green Apple Soup
Grandma’s Italian Wedding Chicken Soup
Braised Grass-Fed Beef Brisket and Polenta
Irish Steak & Guinness Puff Pastry Pie

recipe goodness :: best butternut squash and green apple soup

Fall is my favorite time of year. The air has a slight chill and smells of damp leaves, the colors have a vibrance that puts spring blooms to shame, and the farmer’s market is flush with the fall harvest eager for roasting up a cozy meal to share. Some of the most spectacular veggies made their way to the market this weekend, so before I jump into my favorite fall soup recipe, I just have to share my bounty: Easter Egg Radishes and Graffiti Cauliflower…

Fall Farmer's Market Bounty

…leeks, butternut squash and granny smith apples.

Butternut Squash Soup Inspiration

I’ve made this recipe so many times, I’ve lost count. The base of the soup is courtesy of Michael Chiarello, but I’ve made a few adjustments that make this one of the best bowls of butternut squash soup I’ve ever had. The sweetness of the squash and apple is enhanced by the subtle spice from the chili and pepper, but what really adds a memorable, unexpected contrast is the slightly tart pomegranate that bursts with each bite and the salty melt-in-your mouth fluffy popcorn.

Best Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves 8

Squash Soup
2 TBS unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white parts only (~1 large leek)
1 TBS minced garlic
6 cups peeled and roughly diced butternut squash (~1 medium squash)
3 cups peeled and roughly diced apples (~2 large apples)
3 tsp Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows
6 1/2 cups chicken stock or 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth mixed with 3 cups water
Sea salt
Pomegranate, deseeded
1 bag microwave popcorn

Toasted Spice Rub
Note: the spice mixture makes enough to fill an empty spice container to use in the future and make the soup even quicker next time.
1 TBS coriander seeds
1 TBS black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pure chili powder (about 1-ounce)
2 TBS kosher salt
2 TBS ground cinnamon

In a small heavy pan over medium heat, combine the coriander seeds and peppercorns. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and cook until it turns nut brown. Add the leeks and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly to release its fragrance. Add the squash and apples, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Toasted Spice Rub and cook briefly to toast it, about 1 minute. Add the stock or broth-water mixture, bring to a simmer, and partially cover. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the squash and apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer in batches to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pot, reheat to serving temperature, and season with salt. Divide the soup among bowls and garnish each portion with some of the pomegranate and popcorn. Serve immediately.

Roughly Dice Peeled Squash and Apples

Slice Leek and Mince Garlic

Saute Leeks and Garlic Until Soft

Stir Until Caramelization Begins and Add Toasted Spice Rub

Add stock, simmer partially covered for 40 minutes and then blend until smooth. Garnish with Pomegranate seeds and popcorn kernels. Serve immediately.

The Best Butternut Squash Soup

A Bountiful Market:
Crop to Cup Creating Quality Community Coffee
Greenmarket: Put Smarter, Cheaper & More Scrumptious Food on Your Table
Why Buy the Cow, When You Can Get the Milkshake for Free?
I Scream, You Scream For MilkMade Handcrafted Ice Cream

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Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Apple, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Greenmarket, Leeks, Pomegranate, Popcorn, Radish, Recipe, Soup, Spicy

October 20, 2010 · 8:34 am

recipe goodness :: roasted cauliflower with gremolata bread crumbs

Stunning Graffiti Cauliflower

“Say it with cauliflowers.” Because I love you, one great cauliflower recipe begets another this week. For a couple years I’ve had a photo I took of a purple cauliflower hanging on the limited wall space of my NYC kitchen. And while I was walking through the farmer’s market this weekend, I saw him again. The most stunningly royal purple “graffiti cauliflower.” Let me be clear — this graffiti cauliflower is not purple because of some lame carnation-in-dyed water method, this is the color nature intended! So I bought him, brought him home and consulted one of my favorite food websites Food52 for some inspiration from their week 6 recipe contest: “your best cauliflower recipe.” Just today the recipe below was announced as the winner — and I concur with the crowd!

This winning recipe is just another reason to fall in love with cauliflower, and while most people turn the other way from the boring, colorless white cauliflower, let me remind you that this veg is packed with cancer fighting nutrients and vitamin C. So when you can cook up a recipe with lots of other great flavors and find a beautiful variety like this one, you not only create a heathy dish, but one that looks and tastes spectacular. If you can’t get your kids to eat this, I don’t think there’s any hope for them! This recipe is so tasty I recommend following the quantities below so you have leftovers, but you can easily cut it in half if you only want to make enough for 2-3 servings.

Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs
Courtesy of: TheThinChef

Prep Time: 5 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins | Preheat Oven 425°
Serves 6

2 large heads cauliflower {I used purple grafitti}
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp coarse salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko {Japanese bread crumbs}
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 TBS roughly chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425°F. Trim tough stem and core from cauliflower and discard. Using a paring knife, cut cauliflower into smaller spears. Place in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spread cauliflower out on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add panko and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden. Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place in a medium bowl and add parsley, stirring to combine. Set aside. Remove cauliflower from oven and place on serving platter. Top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.

The Goods-Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs

Toss with Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper and Spread on Baking Sheet

Add Fresh Chopped Parsley to Toasted Bread Crumbs

Take Lots of Pictures and Enjoy

My Fall Harvest

Fall Harvest Fare:
Autumn Manhattan {Herby Garnished Classic a la Tippling Bros.}
Rosemary, Truffle and Parmesan Chips or Fries
Savory Cauliflower Fried Rice

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Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Cauliflower, Greenmarket, gremolata, Healthy, Recipe

October 18, 2010 · 9:48 am

recipe goodness :: savory cauliflower fried rice

It’s cauliflower season! Are you scratching your head wondering why I could possibly be so excited about cauliflower, a generally overlooked and underappreciated vegetable? Well, it’s also Breast Cancer awareness month and it seems only fitting to highlight this veg for both of these reasons. Cauliflower contains two key nutrients {indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane} that help fight against cancer and heart disease by cleaning out the system of toxins that would normally damage cells and by keeping estrogen levels low, which is known to foster tumor growth. If that doesn’t make you think of cauliflower as a new friend, how about the fact that three florets of cauliflower a day will provide you with 67% of your daily vitamin C requirement — keep that in mind as cold season fast approaches.

In my opinion cauliflower by itself doesn’t have any super flavors to write home about, but given how nutritious and substantial these little guys are, it’s a great base to mix with other fantastic flavors and create a healthy and tasty side or main dish that is worth getting excited about. Here’s a recipe from Everyday Paleo that I made the other night. I must admit, I never would have thought about combining with coconut, but the flavor was a fantastic complement and coconut has a great nutrient profile of its own that makes this a noteworthy alternative for diabetics or for those who can’t eat gluten.

Savory Cauliflower “Fried Rice”

Prep Time: 5 mins. | Cook Time: 10 mins.
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

1 head organic cauliflower, steamed
1/2 red onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS fresh basil, diced
1 egg
2 TBS coconut flour
1 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
3-4 TBS coconut oil

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Remove thick stem and core from cauliflower and discard. Using a knife, cut cauliflower into smaller florets. Add to boiling water and cover, cooking for approximately 2-3 minutes or until knife tender. In a large mixing bowl, add the minced onions, garlic, and basil. Place the steamed cauliflower in the bowl as well and add the egg, coconut flour, salt, and pepper. Using a potato masher or metal whisk, mash the cauliflower down to the consistency of rice. Mix all the ingredients well. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the cauliflower rice and saute for 7-10 minutes or until the “rice” starts to crisp up a little and the onions are tender. Remove the rice and keep warm in the oven. Note: This is better, the longer it sits, so preparing ahead of time and warming in the oven is a good thing!