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plllog

Never eat anything (including cauliflower) bigger than your head...

plllog
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago



Good advice, right?


I was not expecting this when I selected cauliflower from the farm. The romanesco I got a few weeks ago was bijou. Just enough. Very good, but fractally dainty.





Is there anything special one can do with this monster? It's bigger than my knives! Oh, wait, I do have my father's food saw (think hacksaw), though I'm not sure that would work for cutting cauli-steaks. I usually use a paring knife to cut away the stem. That isn't happening. I can just whack away at it...


But what to make? I don't even particularly like cauliflower. It's just one of those things one eats.


Any ideas?

Comments (30)

  • Lars
    3 years ago

    I guess you don't like watermelon.

    I often make a curry with cauliflower, but I don't have a recipe for it - I just make a velouté sauce with the cooking water that I save from cooking the cauliflower and then add Indian spices to that. You could add a Berbere spice mix instead for an Ethiopian version.

    plllog thanked Lars
  • amylou321
    3 years ago

    I can't eat cauliflower unless there is some sort of cheese involved. Its either loaded cauliflower or cheesy cauliflower gratin for me.

    plllog thanked amylou321
  • bragu_DSM 5
    3 years ago

    make a pizza crust with it ...

    plllog thanked bragu_DSM 5
  • lindac92
    3 years ago

    I love cauliflower! Steamed and served with butter and salt and pepper....or chilled and in a salad with ranch type dressing or as faux potatoes....(no0t so much) riced and made into a baked dish with a cheese sauce topped with crumbs....etc.

  • bragu_DSM 5
    3 years ago

    are you going to name it?

    ted koppel

  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    It got a little too close to the top of the fridge drawer so has a couple little freeze spots including the two freckles by “organic”, but it's white and fresh looking. IRL, it doesn't have the color or apparent blemishes from the picture. i think you're right, Islay, that the big brown blob is a shadow from the overhead light, and the amber tone is because the light is adjusted to 2700K.

    Indian is a great suggestion. Thanks for the recipe, IC. I don't have the ingredients, but it sounds tasty. I'll steam or roast it just to get it cooked, but Lars reminded me of an old favorite curry sauce for vegetables which was great on cauliflower. I totally forgot that, but I think the recipe is in my computer. It was lost for awhile before I saw the exact edition of the lost book at a friend's house. I haven’t made it since, though.

    Amylou, I appreciate you, but I hate cheese on cauliflower. It doesn't hide the sulphurous caulifloweriness of it all and just ruins the cheese. It's like what they say about teaching a pig to sing. ;)

    Dave, I could, but no one would eat it. It doesn't taste bad, but it’s so not worth eating if one has a choice! You remind me, however, of how much better Buffalo cauliflower is than Buffalo wings. I assume because the sauce gets cooked some. I’ll see if I can find a recipe.

    Thank-you all! I think half curry and half Buffalo will be great!


    ETA—Linda, I’ve never had it with butter, S&P. That sounds good. I'm learning to appreciate buttered vegetables. I'll try to remember it for a less overgrown one.


    P.S., you'll note all the “I”’s in this. I've given up making things just because other people like them. If I'm not willing to eat it, they can forage their own...

  • colleenoz
    3 years ago

    You could make cauliflower steaks by sawing it up with a long, serrated knife like a bread knife. They’re good with toasted pine nuts and marinated garlic and herb soft feta 🤤. I love cauliflower.

    Just remembered we had popcorn cauliflower florets (think popcorn shrimp) with aioli dip at a restaurant the other night and that was good too

    plllog thanked colleenoz
  • wednesday morning
    3 years ago

    That wold make a good cauliflower "cutlet".

    Cut about 1/2" cutlets and dunk in egg mixture and dredge in breadcrumbs and cheese. Put it on a baking sheet that has been well endowed with olive oil and bake it until it is browned. If you want, flip it to the other side and let that side get next to the baking sheet.


    I have put it on my shopping list for today because I want to try the crust thing with it. I want to try not because I am trying to avoid wheat, but just because it looks good!

    I watched Chef Buck do some this way a few days ago and he made me want to rush out and buy some. I enjoy him on You Tube. He is definitely not a sophisticated act, but he is so darned real! And, he does some pretty good things. His recipe for the topping for his turkey pot pie is simple and wonderful and I use it all the time, with a little less butter.

    Anyway, I am going to try that crust thing.


    Talk about big..........I was shopping at the co op for poultry and they have cut up turkey in packages. This is the natural/organic/free range/etc. I picked up a package of turkey thighs and was blown away at how big they are! These thighs were the size of small whole chickens! They must be frakenturkeys! All that and no hormones or chemicals? I don't know.

    You can see it in some of the grocery chain chicken, tool. Some of those chicken breasts are so big that you wonder how could the chicken even stand up. The sad truth is that the chicken probably could not stand up on its own and had to be kept upright in a cage just eating and pooping until it could be processed.


    That is a big head of cauliflower, though.

    You should be able to prepare it at least two ways since there is no much of it.

    Pllog, I agree with you about cooking to your own taste. I despise fish, so hubs does not get much fish. But, because he is my soul buddy for all of these years, I do go out of my way to prepare nice salmon patties for him to have for his lunch. I prepare, freeze and he can use them when he wants. He takes it out of the freezer a couple of hours before and just pan fries them in a bit of oil. I buy the fresh salmon to make the patties. I dont eat them. I hate fish of any kind!



  • carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Our fave way to eat cauliflower is roasted with curry powder and olive oil.

    I separate into florets and mix up a Tbs or 2 of curry powder with enough olive oil to coat the amount of cauliflower well, and some salt, then toss the cauliflower with the oil mixture in a bowl until evenly coated, turn out and spread in a single layer in a large shallow pan, making sure to scrape out all the oil/spice mixture, and roast 18-20 minutes at 400F until cooked through and nicely browned. Simple simple and really delicious. It goes fast and we rarely have any leftover.

    plllog thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
  • party_music50
    3 years ago

    My father had a fantastic 24-hr quick pickle recipe he used with cauliflower, carrots, red peppers, etc. Unfortunately, I've never found the recipe he used. However, I'd choose either roasting or pickling for it. :)

    plllog thanked party_music50
  • HU-753479426
    3 years ago

    carolb - that's how we like cauliflower, too! I was going to suggest this, but you beat me to it.

    seagrass

    plllog thanked HU-753479426
  • sarahsocal
    3 years ago

    I am with colleenoz - cut it into steaks and grill!

    plllog thanked sarahsocal
  • lindac92
    3 years ago

    Doesn't anyone eat it raw?..or nearly raw?
    Somewhere i have a picture of this salad and it not only tasted good but was beautiful.
    1 head ( of half a head) cauliflower...same of broccoli. Cut into bite size florettes and blanch for about 45 seconds in boiling water and immediately plunge into ice water....drain well, Slice a bunch or more of green onions in half inch pieces and cut up a 6 ox jar of roasted red pepper.....and toss well with a basic dijon honey vinaigrette. Best made a couple of hours before serving.
    And you don't have to do all....cook some one way and save some for another recipe and by all means eat some raw in a salad.

    plllog thanked lindac92
  • sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Pre-covid, and before my veg box deliveries, cauliflower, broccoli, and a few others were never on my shopping list. Maybe once a year. My last broccoli was that size...enormous. We have been loving the covid variety. Steaks roasted, white miso glaze out of the oven, roasted broken florets with other veg. Pan seared with other veg and into a pasta bake, an adult Mac-n-cheese-ish. (not super cheesy)

    I've requested cauliflower and broccoli in my next box. Just came across a veg spiced lentil 'dirty rice' side dish. (minced beef, no liver).

    And yes, blanched still near raw, tossed in a dressing similar to a German potato salad. Good with golden beets.

    plllog thanked sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
  • fawnridge (Ricky)
    3 years ago

    How big does the head have to be before it's acceptable?

  • signet_gw(6b)
    3 years ago

    How about cutting off good sized florets , parboil till just tender drain and let cool .Then dip the chunks in a mix of beaten egg and parmesan a little salt and pepper , then fry them in about an inch of oil ( use an oil that has a high smoke point ) turning till all sides are golden brown . Heavenly !

    plllog thanked signet_gw(6b)
  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Thanks for all the additional suggestions!

    Linda, your salad sounds great for the raw (blanched) lovers, but I thoroughly hate raw cauliflower and hate raw broccoli almost as much. It's the sulphur thing combined with the texture. There's this one purportedly Italian salad that has a combination of steamed and raw vegetables. The streamed ones are cooked only to the still crisp but no longer crumbly point. I can take the cauliflower in that, but it's also among a bunch of other players, and marinated in the dressing awhile before it's served as well. I hate the smell of cauliflower cooking because of the sulphur, but at least when it's cooked, it doesn't taste of it.

  • lindac92
    3 years ago

    How about cabbage? Brussles sprouts? Asparagus?...does the smell bother you when cooking? Do you eat cole slaw?


  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Linda, Brussels sprouts are impossible. Recently, I was given an herbal tablet for help with an injury and was warned that it stinks. It does. It stinks to high heaven, like decaying wet forest maybe. But I had no problem getting it in my mouth and swallowing it. I can't say the same for Brussels sprouts. The youngest, little ones, the full sized ones, raw, lightly cooked or cooked soft, whole or shaved, I can't eat them. Usually, I can't even get a piece into my mouth, but if it's mild enough to get that far, if I start to chew it, I have to spit it out.

    Kale sprouts, which are a hybrid which grow on a Brussels style stalk, with little kale heads instead of cabbage babies, are different. They stink up the house worse than cauliflower, but once cooked, just tossed with a little light oil and roasted, they're crunchy on the outside, where the little leaves dry like kale chips, and creamy in the middle which is mostly stem. They're thoroughly delicious, and the sulphur is pretty well neutralized by the cooking. The smell lingers badly in the house, however, so I'm not entirely sad that they're hard to get hold of.

    Some cabbage is bad, but mostly fine. No trouble with cold and raw, or cole slaw. I occasionally notice, but not too badly to ignore. Sometimes, cooked cabbage is too revolting, but I think that's bad cooking or bad cabbage, because it's never happened with cabbage I've cooked myself. Kale is okay. Bitter and kale-ish, but not too sulphrous. No issue with the chard I get from the farm--I really like it! But not all chard is as sweet.

    I don't love broccoli. Tolerate it, more like. But it doesn't usually belch sulphur. It can smell bad, but not generally too nasty. Broccolini and shallots or onion, sautéed with some red pepper flakes is one of my favorite pizza toppings, however. I've recently developed a liking for kohlrabi, which people say tastes like broccoli stems, which I get, but at least the ones I can buy are much sweeter and don't have the sulphur funk.

    A lot of these bitter and/or sulphrous cabbage family things lose their bad flavors and smells when cooked in custard. :) Brussels sprouts are the only ones I absolutely refuse to eat under all circumstances.

  • Islay Corbel
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Oooo haven't eaten one for ages.....roasted steak with salsa Verde.

    Dad was Polish and he loved it boiled, served with crispy breadcrumbs, lemon juice and butter. With lots of black pepper. Yum.

    I'm convinced these veg are only stinky when they're old. That's why I was worried about yours. Super fresh and I don't think they smell bad.😝

  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Not true. I didn't get to cook this today, but it doesn't matter how young or old, how cooked or not, whether Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or any of the others. There may be other compounds that behave that way, stinkier when old or cooked more or any of the other things people say, that I'm unaware of because the sulphur is so strong. I don't know if this is another genetic thing or a personal sensitivity. Certainly it doesn't affect everyone. My mother used to complain that she loved Brussels sprouts and couldn't get any of the rest of us to touch them—including the Progenitor.

  • Islay Corbel
    3 years ago

    😂

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    3 years ago

    I like cauliflower raw, although I don't know if I could make much of a dent in that one. Also steamed with butter and S&P. DH has never been a fan but this last year I've been roasting it much like Carolb, or I'll add some grated Parmesan and garlic powder to the oil and not curry it. I've got some avocado oil here that works well for it, responds well to the high oven temp and has a mild flavor. If its browned, has a bit of garlic, DH will eat it.

    plllog thanked morz8 - Washington Coast
  • sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
    3 years ago

    I'm guessing it will rot before used. 😂. I have a very sensitive sense of smell. (and hearing via household beeps).

    "I hear a beep. Maybe downstairs....dishwasher?...freezer?". washer/dryer?...(DH,... Huh?)

    Chunked and blanched cruciferous veg cooked is a 2-3 on a scale of ten. Into the cuisinart for a brief pulverizing. Not necessarily a rice but close. Cook it on the scale of 6-8 I get stench. We still like it but can sympathize. kept close to raw/blanched I do not find it 'eggy'. Cruciferous.

    I cleaned out my crisper last night in anticipation of todays veg box delivery. A few Brussels went into a pasta dish, shredded mandolin. Last minute. I'm a no waste, veg forward, use-it-all-cook. Iffy veg goes in the pup food. The rest is compost.

    The Brussels were a fresh addy. Near raw. Good veg use. Not overly cooked to add an overpowering 'scent'.

    We had a brain switch 30 years ago with our first garden to use all of it. If it is healthy, we find a way to like it without smothering in cheese or hidden.

    Avoid Beiseker Alberta Canada. Their town mascot is 'Squirt', the skunk The slogan that justified its creation was, "It makes scents to stop in Beiseker." 13-ft. tall.

    I had lunch. Surprised they did not have an egg salad offering, 😂

    Yikes, what a sticky town.

  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Nope. No rot. Contrary to what it might have looked like with its size and the weirdness of the photograph, it was fresh and lovely, straight from the farm. It also didn't stink much for cauliflower, which I'm guessing might be the fresh from the farmness. It was very big, and very cooked and not much sulphur smell, confounding some of those theories. It did stink, mind you. Just not so bad. :)

    Because of my various aches and pains, I just couldn't bring myself to do the fiddly sauces, so I just chunked it up, and while drained but still damp from washing, tossed with a little drizzle of lite olive oil, mushroom salt and garlic pepper, and roasted at 375° F for 40 minutes, so it was crisp and brown on the outside and creamy on the inside, with the water having steamed it and the oil having crisped it some. First time I've ever tasted sweetness in cauliflower.

    It was really good, since it didn't have the stink. Except in the occasional burp. :)

  • war garden
    3 years ago

    plllog where did you find such small cauliflower

    last one i bought weighed 13 lbs and was 4 times that size.

  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    LOL!

  • bragu_DSM 5
    3 years ago

    JC ... does this include durians?

  • plllog
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Why? Do you want to eat one?