How To Cook Cauliflower

Welcome to the Vegan Coach's tutorial on how to cook cauliflower.

Personally, I didn't try cauliflower until I was in my 20's because I was a little afraid of it! (I was a very picky eater before I went vegetarian and discovered the wonderful veggies our beautiful Earth has to offer.)

Cauliflower has a unique flavor that is very comforting, and it can be baked, boiled, puréed, sauteed, steamed -- even eaten raw.

Below you'll find lots of advice for how to cook cauliflower in the most delectable way. Why? Because the cooking techniques and flavorings are chosen by you -- simply match the flavors with your unique taste buds and with what you have in your cupboard.

How To Select Cauliflower

This is one of those times when size DOESN'T matter, so don't worry about how big the head is. ;o) Simply see if you can find cauliflower that has many crisp leaves covering up the veggie -- the leaves offer better protection and your cauliflower will be fresher.

Look for cauliflower that is white or creamy, and which feels heavy and firm. Avoid those that have dark spots or look dull and sad. And if you see any flowers growing out of them? Next!!!

Be on the lookout for purple and green cauliflower too as these are delicious and fun varieties to play with.

How To Clean and Prep Cauliflower

Fill a bowl (or a Salad Spinner) with clean, filtered water. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice, or any other edible acid, such as vinegar which will help to clean your veggie more thoroughly (p.s. don't skip this step -- it's very important).

Remove outer leaves and discard, if not using. Using a knife, carefully cut florets from the hard, woody stem and soak in prepared water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes or so. Rinse.

Your veggie is now ready to be used in your unique and totally personalized cauliflower recipe.

How To Cook Cauliflower

Baked Cauliflower
Although not for "everyday eating" because it requires quite a couple cooking steps, baking is a good option for an elegant presentation....

Boiled Cauliflower
This works great when making cauliflower soup recipes because the nutrient-filled soup broth will be enjoyed also (instead of being discarded)....

Puréed Cauliflower
Best when you want to make a smooth soup, baby food or when using in a Shepherd's Pie...

Sautéed Cauliflower
A favorite way to prepare cauliflower because it cooks up very moist and tender...

Steamed Cauliflower
Most of the nutrients are retained with ZERO added fat...

Eat it RAW (Cut raw carrots into sticks for use with dips. Grate for use in salads or coleslaws.)

Cauliflower Vegan Flavor Matches

Create your very own cauliflower recipe with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with cauliflower.

Almonds
Bacon, vegetarian (I like Fakin' Bacon. But use sparingly, this is not a health food)
Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or Tamari
Bread Crumbs
Butter, non-dairy (I like Earth Balance)
Chervil
Cheese, especially Cheddar and Parmesan, non-dairy
Chives
Cracker Crumbs
Cream, non-dairy
Curry
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic
Lemon
Mornay Sauce, non-dairy
Mushrooms
Nutmeg
Nutritional Yeast
Nuts
Onions
Parsley
Pepper, especially hot
Tomato Sauce
Walnuts

Psssst...Get ALL the Flavor Matches found throughout VeganCoach.com all in one place with this handy dandy e-book Your Guide To Vegan Flavor Matches.

Cauliflower Helpful Hints

• Cauliflower is available year-round, but is best when it's in season: December-March.
• Store cauliflower unwashed in the fridge, protected by a plastic bag or Tupperware-like container (as with all veggies!). Store cauliflower stem side down to avoid moisture pooling up in the actual veggie. Eat within 2-3 days.
• Although it's not as common to eat them, the leaves are edible.
• Be wary of cooking your cauliflower in an aluminum or iron pot. It just so happens that the chemical compounds in cauliflower can react with the aluminum and turn the vegetable yellow! And an iron pot, can turn it to a brown or blue-green color. Ack!
• Cauliflower can be blanched first, and then frozen. It will keep in the freezer for up to a year (be sure to date it!).
  
  To blanch: Boil a pot of water -- approximately one gallon of water per pound of veggie. Bring the water to boil and lower cauliflower into the water (a wire basket works perfectly). When the water begins to boil again, cover the pot and set the timer for 2-5 minutes, depending on how large or small the pieces of cauliflower are.
  
  Your goal is simply to destroy the enzymes and bacteria (that are inherent in fresh vegetables) which can break the veggie down and destroy the flavor. Your goal is NOT to soften the cauliflower as you would if cooking to eat.
  
  As soon as blanching is complete, you'll want to stop the cooking process immediately. So remove cauliflower with a slotted spoon or wire basket, and then plunge into a container of ice water. Cool veggies for the same amount of time as they are blanched. (This process works for many veggies -- only the blanching time will change, depending on how dense the chosen veggie is.)

Discover the Nutritional Value of Cauliflower

World's Healthiest Foods.com

If You Like Cauliflower Try...

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