Falling for Florets

On the first day of snow in Columbus, how that happened I'll never know, Cook's Corner featured cauliflower recipes.  Love, love, love cauliflower. I am, however, beginning to re- hate the Columbus Dispatch. They have dreamed up yet another scheme to make money and to annoy (me.)  Now you can only view a section of the paper on line five times without paying for an on- line subscription. There is an over-lay on the recipe that one might want to see until one pays for a subscription.  This is foolish because there is probably not one recipe in this world that cannot be found FREE in the vast recipe offerings on line. So that's NOT going to work. I forgave them for cutting down the number of pages of Cook's Corner while hemming it with crossword puzzles and celebrity gossip, but I have reached my level of forgiveness, which is not large in the first place. Never mind, I found a way to give you some tasty recipes for this delectable vegetable.  I have a large head of florets at the moment and I am eager to try these recipes.  Week end company's coming, several soups are made, but I might add one more dish to the menu.  Oh, and I still have cakes to bake.  I am trying this peaches and cream cake shown here and I will let you know how it turns out. This is a perfect day for the kitchen because it is not nice outside.  The pool is still open and all the summer furniture is covered, briefly, in pure white snow with rain on the way to wash it away.

                                              Oh, yes, Happy Halloween too.

peaches and cream cake

 

For T.F., Hilliard
Makes 8 servings

Peaches and cream cake:
3/4 cup flour
  1 package (3.5 ounces) vanilla cooked  pudding mix
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1 egg
  1/2 cup milk
  3 tablespoons butter,  melted
  1 can (16 ounces)  sliced peaches
  1/2 cup sugar
  1 package (8 ounces)  cream cheese
  1 tablespoon sugar
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

Stir together flour, pudding mix and baking powder.

Combine egg, milk and melted butter. Add to dry mix and mix well. Pour into baking dish.

Drain peaches, reserving 1/3 cup of liquid. Chop peaches and sprinkle over batter. Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and peach liquid. Pour over the peaches. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over all.

Bake for 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or cold, but it’s best warm.

S. Hill, Hilliard

Cauliflower, YUM.

Deb Lindsey | Washington Post photos

Roasted Cauliflower Gratin

This recipe was adapted from Washington-area chefs for  The Washington Post. 

Makes 6 servings

There is no need to whip up a bechamel sauce for this quick version of a gratin, made all the more alluring by first oven-roasting the cauliflower.

1 large head (2 pounds) cauliflower (outer leaves removed), broken into 11/2-inch florets 3 tablespoons canola oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 small clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; heat to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the florets, oil and salt in a mixing bowl to coat. Spread the florets on the baking sheet, flat edges down. (Wipe out the bowl; you’ll use it again.)

Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes, then turn the oven on broil. When it’s heated, transfer the cauliflower to the top rack and broil for 7 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned and tender. Keep the broiler on.

Transfer the florets to the same bowl you first used. Add the cream, garlic, Gruyere cheese, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and all the pepper and nutmeg. Stir to incorporate, then spoon the cauliflower into a large gratin dish.

Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and return to the broiler for 5 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

 

 

 

Cauliflower “Risotto” Recipe

Vegan, grain and gluten-free

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in a food processor
• 2 cups spinach, chopped
• 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained, divided (I prefer Great Northern Beans)
• 1/2 c. vegetable broth
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tb sundried tomatoes
• 1 Tb capers
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• toasted pinenuts, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium-sized pot, heat 1 Tb olive oil on medium heat until warmed. Place the shallots, garlic, and thyme inside and saute for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
2. Place 1/2 the can of beans and vegetable broth into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. With an immersion blender (or if you do not have one, use a regular blender), gently blend all of the contents together in the pot until creamy and smooth.
4. Add grated cauliflower, sun-dried tomatoes, remainder beans, and spinach. Cover with a lid and allow to heat through for a good 5 minutes.
5. Add the capers before you serve and garnish with toasted pinenuts.