No matter whether it is made into a creamy soup, as a base for buffalo appetizers, as a braised alternative or as a pizza base – cauliflower continues to prove its versatility. This cruciferous chameleon readily takes on any role; The humble cabbage can adapt to any taste, cuisine, and shape desired.
With so many options, even an experienced cook can find themselves faced with decision paralysis when dealing with cauliflower. To cut through the noise, I spoke to three experienced recipe developers about the best way to make it. They all chose the same method –Fry– but each with a different preferred heat source.
The cauliflower connoisseurs
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The best way to prepare cauliflower
Whether in the pan, in the oven or on the grill: roasting cauliflower turns it into a golden brown, sweet, nutty eye-catcher.
Pixley, co-author of The complete vegetarian cookbook And vegetables illustrated, In addition to other cookbooks, he knows a lot about vegetables. She praises cauliflower for its versatility and her “all-time favorite” preparation is pan-frying or browning in plenty of fat and seasoning generously. Pixley is a true flower fanatic and particularly enjoys the little pieces that fall from the florets and crisp up into golden brown, nutty morsels.
Frazier approaches cauliflower like an artist approaches a blank canvas. To achieve a warm, golden hue with darker brown flecks and an intense caramel flavor, she prefers to roast cauliflower in small florets at a high temperature in the oven. She explains, “Cutting the cauliflower into florets exposes more of its surface to the hot oven, causing it to brown and crisp.” Frazier cautions against overcrowding the pan, as this will trap moisture and cause the cauliflower to steam rather than caramelize.
When the weather is warm, Reynolds loves to grill thick cauliflower steaks. To do this, she keeps the core intact so that the steaks don’t fall apart on the grill, rubs them with oil and seasons them with salt and pepper.
Reynolds then covers the grill and maintains medium-high heat to char the outsides while the center softens Only enough. “At this point, they’re right at the intersection of mild, sweet, juicy, and roasty,” she describes, noting that she avoids mushy and dry cauliflower “at all costs.” The smoky char from the grill underlines the nutty note of the cauliflower – a perfect complement to bright, strong sauces such as chimichurri or romesco.
Serious Food / Eric Kleinberg
Bonus tip for making cauliflower
Cut florets with confidence. Instead of laboriously cutting off the core of a head of cauliflower and breaking off each floret, first cut the head into quarters and then use the knife to cut the core out of each quarter. The core and leaves are edible – delicious, in fact. Cut the core into similar sized pieces to the florets to ensure each bite is cooked evenly.
