by Drew Woodson

Created on: February 07, 2009   Last Updated: February 09, 2009

Cauliflower is a healthy addition of many meals. It can take the place of broccoli in many recipes or stand alone as a side to any meal.

Preparing Fresh Cauliflower:

Cauliflower comes in bunches. When it is fresh it often has leaves surrounding the bunch. Cut away the leaves then cut the stems away from the florets. The floret groups should disarticulate into individual florets. The stems are also edible but need twice the cooking time as the florets to be tender. Wash the chopped cauliflower but submerging it in cold water.

Cauliflower can be eaten raw. It is at home on any vegetable tray. It can be dipped in ranch dressing or peanut sauce. But if you want to cook the cauliflower, the healthiest way is to steam it.

Steaming Cauliflower:

Place 2 cups of frozen or fresh cauliflower in a steaming basket. Situate the basket in a pot with a small amount (not more than a quarter inch) and steam for eight minutes.

You can test its doneness by inserting a fork. The fork should go in easily when it is done. Lightly salt to taste.

Steaming vegetables leaves the maximum amount of nutrition in the food. Boiling can leach vitamins out of the vegetable and into the water.

As an erstwhile Southerner, my earliest memories of cauliflower are of them battered and fried. Who can resist the crispy batter?

Tempura Fried Cauliflower:

Mix 1 cup of cold, dry white wine with 1 cup of flour. Add salt 1 teaspoon apiece of salt and black pepper. The mixture should make a thin batter.

In a frying pan heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees.

Put 2 cups of chopped fresh cauliflower in the batter. Then fry a few pieces at a time in the oil. Drain the fried cauliflower on a paper towel.

The battered cauliflower should have a light crispy texture. If the fried part of the cauliflower seems too greasy it may be that your oil is not hot enough or that you are frying too many pieces at once. If the outside is done but the cauliflower seems raw, your oil is too hot.

Stir-Fried Cauliflower:

Another simple way to incorporate cauliflower into you diet is to add it to your next stir-fry. Saute the cauliflower with your other vegetables in a hot wok or frying pan. It tastes great with a teaspoon of sesame oil added to the mix.

Cauliflower is a healthy vegetable which has gotten a bad name from bad cooking. It is far from tasteless when prepared properly. I hope these methods work for you and your family.

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