Winter's Cauliflower Craze
Every time, this time of the year, every vegetable stand and supermarket all around Cafe Drake offers up gorgeous heads of cauliflower for a buck each. Clueless to the origins or explanation of this annual phenomenon, we just take advantage of the cruciferous largess on every corner. Hopefully you're catching a similar deal wherever you dwell, and in the spirit of our troubled financial times, find below two of our most-loved recipes for this (temporarily) cheapest of vegetables.MUSTARD CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE
Cook like a 50s housewife with this surprisingly satisfying side dish; that is, whip it together in 10 minutes and spend the rest of your time in the kitchen stirring up the martinis.
1 head cauliflower / 1/2 cup mayonnaise/ 1 teaspoon prepared mustard /1/2 small onion, minced / 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar or Gruyere or Raclette cheese
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Wash, trim and core the cauliflower; break up. Cook in simmering water 12 to 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain well.
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard and minced onion. Spread mixture over cauliflower. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese.
- Bake 3 to 5 minutes uncovered, in a 350 degree preheated oven or until the cheese begins to melt.
- Serve hot.
CREOLE CAULIFLOWER
Another vintage-era recipe. We think the "creole" in the dish's title is, like, a misnomer?
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets / 1/4 teaspoon salt / 1/4 cup butter / 1/4 cup flour / 2 cups milk / 1/3 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives / salt and pepper to taste / 1 teaspoon paprika
- Cook cauliflower in boiling salted water until tender; drain. Place in a greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- In saucepan, melt butter; blend in 1/4 cup flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Add sliced olives and salt and pepper to taste; pour over cauliflower. Sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake at 375° for 15 minutes.
Comments