Who doesn’t love cauliflower?  If the answer is you, this is not your post.  Otherwise, I have a feeling you will agree that cauliflower is delicious raw, steamed, sauteed, or roasted.  It has a beautiful flavor that seems to blend cabbage and broccoli (which are also in the Brassicaceae or mustard family), and is surprisingly nutritious given its lack of pigmentation.  I eat cauliflower all the time, both because I love it, and because Adrian, my fiance, frequently requests it.

One of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower is the way my mother always prepared it – steamed with seasoned salt.  My mother is a phenomenal cook, and it is uncommon for her to use such a simple method, but I think she just appreciated the subtle, creamy texture and flavor of this vegetable.  For this recipe, however, I have added a few more ingredients, but what I like about it is that the curry and raisins just help enhance the cauliflower’s earthy taste.

It is a great accompaniment to fish or pork, or you can serve it along side a turkey burger as a healthy substitute for french fries, as we did tonight. Either way, I think you’ll enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• 3 tbs. good quality raisins
• 1 tbs. curry powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbs. olive oil

Preparation:

Break the head of cauliflower into florets.  In a large, nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook gently until it becomes a light golden brown, about two minutes.  Add the cauliflower and salt and pepper, and stir to coat with olive oil.  Cook until the cauliflower develops light brown edges and begins to soften slightly, about three minutes.  Add the chicken stock, curry powder, and raisins.  Stir or toss to coat the cauliflower with the curry.  Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.  Let simmer over low for about ten minutes.  Remove the lid and cook for an additional three minutes or so, or until the cauliflower has softened, but still has a bite to it, and the chicken stock has reduced. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.  Serves about four as a side dish.

Note: As a alternative, try mixing all of these ingredients together and roasting them for about twenty-five minutes at 375 degrees.  It will become a little nuttier, which is absolutely delicious, but will not keep the same bite as the cooking method above.  The best part about roasting it, aside from the great flavor, is that it relieves you from having to stand over the stove.  Just pop it in the oven and prepare the rest of your dinner or go relax on the couch while it cooks.  Viola!

Ok, so I realize that this post is a drastic deviation from the country-style Italian dishes I usually have to offer, but I do have a palate for all kinds of cuisine and this is so easy and delicious I wanted to share it.  I started making this dish when I was in college.  I was already borrowing money for school and living on a tight budget, so I was always looking for inexpensive meals that had more nutritional merit than take out pizza.  This dish will cost you about as much to make as it would to order take out from your local Thai restaurant, but it will feed you for three or four meals rather than one.  I also like being able to choose which vegetables to include and how much oil to use.  The best part is that it only takes about twenty minutes to cook.

The recipe can easily be adapted to substitute any vegetables you like or have on hand and can certainly be made with other protein, such as chicken or shrimp.  I am not a vegetarian, but I like the silky texture and the nutty flavor of the tofu in this dish. 

If you haven’t tried cooking with tofu much, this is a fail-proof method to try it.  The tofu also takes on the flavor of the curry really well, and it is healthy and cheap!   What’s not to like?  I find it to be critical, however, to fry the tofu in a bit of vegetable oil prior to adding it to the curry.  It holds its shape much better that way and has a richer flavor.  Also, I have experimented with all kinds of curry paste for this dish, including red and yellow curry, which are a little sweeter and less spicy, but also extremely delicious.

Here is the way I prepared it on the last go-round:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 package of extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 large poblano pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 small head of broccoli, chopped into florets
• A handful of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of Crimini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup Thai green curry paste
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• The juice of one lime
• Salt to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet.  I used my cast iron for this part, which worked excellently.  Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes.  Place the tofu in a layer in the skillet and do not move them for about four minutes or until they are golden brown on this first side.  Turn the tofu and brown on each side.  Remove from the pan and place on paper towels until the curry is prepared.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and salt to taste.  Cook until the onion start to soften and become translucent.  Add the broccoli, mushrooms, and tomatoes and continue to cook until the vegtables soften but still have a bite.  Add the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice.  Stir well to combine.  Add the tofu and stir to coat.  Continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the coconut milk is thoroughly heated through.  Serve immediately over white or brown rice.