Cauliflower is a member of the brassica family, along with vegies such as cabbage, brussels sprouts and broccoli. This versatile ingredient has a fantastic texture, which means it’s great for turning into ‘rice’, a pasta sauce or a taco filling.
Varieties of cauliflower
Cauliflower
The snow-white colour is the result of blanching – a method of protecting the heads (or curds, as they are also known) from the sun. To a degree, the leaves at the base do this naturally, but farmers also pull over extra leaves, or break leaves to provide complete protection. Left unprotected, the heads will produce small, inedible yellow flowers.
Jacaranda purple cauliflower
This striking cauliflower derives its colour from the red pigment anthocyanin, also found in other red-coloured fruits and vegetables. Typically, vegetables with this compound are sweeter than their white or green counterparts. During cooking the colour leaches and fades, however adding a little lemon juice or vinegar will help ‘fix’ the colour. This variety is a great way to introduce young, fussy eaters to this vegetable.
Broccoflower
This is a cauliflower/broccoli cross which looks like yellow-green cauliflower and tastes more of cauliflower. Another marvel of nature is the similarly coloured broccoli romanesco, whose spherical florets resemble coral. And despite its name, it is a type of cauliflower.
How to buy cauliflower
The head of the cauliflower should be firm and tightly packed; any soft spots indicate that the cauliflower is not at peak freshness. If you buy a head with the green leaves still attached, they should be bright green without any signs of wilting.
How tostore cauliflower
Store in the crisper section of the fridge, unwashed in airtight plastic bags, for 3-4 days. It can also be refrigerated, upright in a jug of water, covered with a bag.Once cut into florets, cauliflower deteriorates quite quickly, so it’s best to use within 2 days.
Health benefits of cauliflower
Cauliflower is extremely low in kilojoules, with only 141 kilojoules or 34 calories (per one cup steamed). Cauliflower is also rich in dietary fibre (almost 2g per cup), especially inulin, a type of dietary fibre which acts as a prebiotic, being fermented in the large colon and helping to ‘feed’ the good bacteria as well as having anti-inflammatory properties.
Eating cauliflower will also boost your vitamin C (and therefore immunity), with just one cup cauliflower florets containing over 50% of your RDI, as well as adding a good dose of vitamin K, B vitamins and potassium.
Cauliflower ‘rice’ also makes a great lower carbohydrate and low kilojoule alternative to regular potato mash or rice, which can assist with weight loss and weight management. Replacing some of your regular potato or rice with cauliflower is also an excellent way to boost your overall vegetable content and promotes vegetable diversity.
Chrissy Freer, taste.com.au Nutrition Editor says: “Cauliflower like other cruciferous veggies is packed with antioxidants, with cancer protective properties, such as sulforaphane, by protecting cells from carcinogens.”
It is important to note that for those following a low fodmap diet, cauliflower can trigger symptoms due to its high inulin content.
How to cook cauliflower
In most recipes broccoli and cauliflower may be substituted for one another. All varieties have an affinity with butter, cheese, nuts, fresh and cured pork, chillies and anchovies. Cauliflower is unusual in that it can be presented in the most delicate manner in smooth, creamy purees, but copes equally well with heavy spicing, as affirmed by its use in hundreds of Indian and Middle Eastern recipes.
Cauliflower may be enjoyed raw, and is a favourite for pickling. Boiling, steaming, sautéeing and stir-frying may all be employed as cooking methods. In general, aim for brief cooking, so it retains a little ‘bite’, especially in simple, subtly flavoured dishes. For robustly flavoured curries and braises a meltingly soft texture is desirable.
Cauliflower should be cooked quartered, or cut into florets at the base of the stem.
In kitchen lore, lemon juice, milk, flour and vinegar have all been recommended as additions to cauliflower cooking water, presumably to keep it white. In reality none are necessary, although avoiding aluminium saucepans is, to prevent greying.
Our bestcauliflower recipes
- Keto cauliflower and bacon soup
- Easy cauliflower crackers
- Easy air fryer cauliflower
- Ham and cheesy cauliflower muffins
- Roast cauliflower and lemon rice
Read more about cauliflower
- How to prepare cauliflower
- Matt Preston cooks with broccoli and cauliflower
- How to make cauliflower pakoras
- How to make cauliflower steak salad
- How to make cauliflower rice
