In Season: Cauliflower versatile, low in calories

The cauliflower planted last August and September is ready now. It has hunkered down for the winter and as temperatures warm, it starts to form its flower heads. There’s not a better time of year to feast on this delectable member of the cabbage family than right now.

First, let’s do a little etymological business. That syllable “caul” in front of “flower” is just a variation of the word “cole.” As in coleslaw, the cabbage salad. As in the German word for cabbage: kohl, found in English as the front half of kohlrabi. As in kale, just another variant of cole. A thousand years ago, the Old English word was “cawel,” from the Latin caulis, meaning a stalk or stem, especially of a member of the cabbage family.

Why the trip down linguistic memory lane? Because the cabbage family is so nutritious and good for us, it pays to know which plants are in and which are out of that family.

Just a half cup of cauliflower contains 40 percent of our daily requirement of vitamin C, just under 10 percent of our need for vitamin B6 and folic acid, a couple of grams of dietary fiber, but only 12 calories. And, like all members of the cabbage family, it has cancer-fighting properties.

Although it’s not one of the most popular vegetables, cauliflower is one of the most versatile. When I deconstruct a head, I like to do what Chinese cooks do, and that’s to peel the thick stalk, then cut it crosswise into thin rounds. These rounds go into a stir fry, a stew, or can be steamed and either pureed or eaten as is, with a splash of good olive oil and a squinch of sea salt.

But it’s the curds themselves that make for the greatest versatility. It’s important, when buying cauliflower, to inspect the curds closely. Whether green, white, purple, or orange, the head should be tight and not ricey; that is, not starting to separate into little florets that resemble a pot of cooked rice. Avoid heads with curds that show brown spots, and look for heads sold with their long wrapper leaves still attached, rather than wrapped in cellophane. Check the heads to see if there are any pointy little green leaf tips protruding through the curds. If there are that means the heads are reverting to vegetative growth and starting to get soft and ricey.

By versatility, I mean that they make a fine addition to a tray of raw vegetables and a cup of hummus. Curds can also be baked, steamed, roasted, stir-fried, or pureed. I personally don’t like boiling them because they quickly turn to watery mush, although curds gently simmered in almond milk until just tender make a wonderful side dish. Or simmer them and then puree them to make a lovely sauce for grilled or baked fish.

Roasting intensifies the nutty flavor of cauliflower. Brush the curds with melted butter and give them a light coating of bread crumbs or wheat germ, then roast them in a 375 F. oven for 10-15 minutes, until tender.

Here’s another idea: In the top of a double boiler, place two egg yolks, a tablespoon of butter and a quarter cup of flour, put water in the bottom pan and gently raise the heat until the water simmers and stir the egg mixture until it thickens, but take it easy on the heat. You don’t want the yolks to curdle. When the mixture is hot and thick, add about five ounces of Gruyere, Gouda, Parmesan or other melty cheese and stir until it melts.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the double boiler off the fire but let the top with the sauce sit over the hot water to keep it warm while you break a head of cauliflower into five or six pieces and steam them until tender.

Place the steamed cauliflower in a casserole dish and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese begins to brown and serve hot. It’s yummy.

I made this for dinner the other night, and it’s as rich and hearty as a stew can be. For the demi-glace, choose the “classic French demi-glace” foil-covered plastic tub wrapped in cardboard at Oliver’s or Whole Foods.

For the tomatoes, at this time of year you can’t beat the 28-ounce can of Bianco DiNapoli whole peeled organic Italian tomatoes for super summer flavor, also at Oliver’s. For the lamb sirloin, take enough time to cut away most of the fat. This is easy to put together if you prep all the ingredients before you start cooking. Your skillet will need a cover. A Dutch oven also works well.

Lamb and ?Cauliflower Stew

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds lamb sirloin cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped shallots

1 28-ounce can of Italian peeled tomatoes, roughly cut into pieces

2 tablespoons French demi-glace

3/4 cup red wine

- Juice of one lemon

1 teaspoon dried oregano

- Sea salt to taste

1 head cauliflower, cut into 9 florets

- Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Dredge the lamb chunks in the flour, and shake off the excess. Heat the olive oil to medium in a large skillet and add the lamb. You may have to do this in two batches. Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and stir until the shallots start to brown.

Add the tomatoes, wine, demi-glace, lemon juice and oregano. Stir and taste. Add salt to taste. Bring the skillet to a boil and immediately cover it, reducing the heat to low. Simmer for one hour.

Add the cauliflower and cover the florets in sauce, then cover the skillet and simmer on low for a half hour, until the cauliflower is tender.

Add the fresh ground pepper and stir. Transfer stew to serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Jeff Cox is a Kenwood-based food and garden writer. Reach him at jeffcox@sonic.net.