Cauliflower
Cauliflower Korma
Serves 4
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Cauliflower, cut in florets
1 tbsp korma curry powder
½ a chicken or vegetable stock cube made up with 200ml boiling water
100g creamed coconut
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
For garnish: 15 g toasted flaked almonds and 20g coriander, chopped
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat and fry the onion and the cauliflower for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Add the korma curry powder and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, creamed coconut and yoghurt, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the cauliflower is just tender.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the almonds and coriander.
Cauliflower Bhaji
Serves 4
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 Medium potato, peeled and finely diced
1 teaspoon tumeric
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1” (2.5cm) root ginger, very thinly sliced
½ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 medium cauliflower, cut into even sized florets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a heavy saucepan or casserole heat the oil and add the potato, tumeric, cumin seeds, ginger and chilli powder, if using. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and sauté over a low heat for 5 minutes, then add the salt to taste. Cover the pan and cook over a gentle heat until the cauliflower is tender (10 to 15 minutes). Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
Bhuna Gobi Aloo
Serves 2
55g potatoes (cubed)
125g cauliflower (broken into small florets)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp root ginger
¼ tsp tumeric powder
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp salt
A sprinkling of fresh coriander
Heat the oil in a pan or wok and add the mustard seeds and cumin, which will pop.
Add the cauliflower and potatoes and stir-fry for a minute.
Mix in the tumeric and salt and cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check the pan occasionally to ensure the vegetables don’t stick or burn.
Finally add the ginger and garnish with the coriander.
Serve with plain crusty bread and butter.
Warm Cauliflower with Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 2-4 (this recipe also works well with Broccoli.)
1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1tsp mustard
1-2 tsps Honey
1 tsp mustard seeds, yellow or black
Cook the cauliflower until just tender, 5-7 minutes by either steaming or simmering in boiling water.
Put the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and honey into a small jar and shake well.
Drain the cauliflower and toss with the dressing and the mustard seeds. Season to taste.
Cauliflower and Almond Madras
Serve 4
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder, madras style
2 tablespoons dessicated coconut
175g potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
425g cooked chick peas
1 tablespoon toasted flaked almonds
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large onion, sliced
1 heaped teaspoon flour
1 pint vegetable stock
350g cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons parsley,chopped
½ a teaspoon salt
In a large non-stick frying pan or wok, heat the oil. Fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon water, cover and steam for 5 minutes until softened.
Add the curry powder and flour and fry for one minute. Mix the dessicated coconut with the hot stock and stir into the pan. Simmer for one minute. Add the potato slices, cauliflower florets and chick peas and season well. Stir together, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Scatter over the almonds and parsley and serve.
Cauliflower with Two Cheeses
1 Medium Cauliflower, separated into florets
40g Parmesan, grated and an extra 2tbsp to finish
40g Gruyere, grated
2 heaped tbsp low fat crème fraiche
2 bay leaves, torn in half
A little freshly grated nutmeg
A pinch cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat grill to high. Steam the cauliflower in a steamer with the bay leaves tucked inside and a little freshly grated nutmeg over the top and steam for about 12 minutes until tender.
Remove the cauliflower and place in a baking dish and cover to keep warm.
Pour 75ml of the hot water from the steamer into a saucepan, add the crème fraiche and simmer, whisking well, until it has thickened very slightly, then add the cheeses. Heat this gently for about a minute, whisking until the cheeses have melted, then season the sauce to taste.
Now pour the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and then finally the cayenne. Place the dish under the hot grill until the cauliflower has browned and the sauce is bubbling.
Roast Vegetable Soup
Serves 2-4
750ml vegetable stock
1 kg mixed vegetables, ie. carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, leeks, celery, onions etc.
2-4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
3 tbsp olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, or a handful of sage leaves.
Salt and black pepper.
Juice 1 lemon (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Chop the vegetables into bite sized pieces. Place in a roasting tin with the whole garlic cloves. Mix the olive oil with the herbs and lemon juice if using.
Pour over the vegetables and toss thoroughly. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and well browned.
Place in a saucepan with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.
Blend half of the mixture, then return to the pan to reheat. Serve with crusty bread
Spicy Potatoes and Cauliflower
450 g Potatoes
5cm piece root ginger
1 green Chilli
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper
450g Cauliflower
1 onion
4 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
½ tsp tumeric
Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks, Place in a pan with water, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes and then drain. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Peel and chop the onion and ginger. Slice the chilli. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and ginger and cook until soft and brown. Mix in the chilli and spices and cook for 2 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the potatoes and cauliflower, stir to coat in the spices, season with salt and pepper, then stir in 3 tablespoons water. Cover with a lid and gently cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, should the mixture become dry add more water.
Cauliflower , Pepper and Chickpea Salad
Serves 4
1 pepper, halved and deseeded
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
2 tsp white wine vinegar
20g Coriander,chopped
150g Feta,cut into chunks
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion,halved and sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
410g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Place the peppers in a small roasting tin,brush them with oil and season. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until completely tender. Leave to cool a little, then slice the peppers into strips.
Meanwhile place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Drain really well.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes, until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and the smoked paprika, season and cook for a further minute. Scrape this into a flat, broad serving bowl along with the peppers. Add a further tablespoon of oil to the pan, return it to the heat and add the cauliflower, fry quickly to get a bit of colour and to heat through. Add the cauliflower to the bowl. Make the dressing by pouring the white wine vinegar into a cup and season. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Pour this over the salad, add the coriander, chickpeas and feta and gently mix together.