Monday, July 23, 2012

Change of Pace Cauliflower . . .

Cauliflower is either a love it or hate it type of vegetable. Personally, I like it raw and crispy, steamed, or braised in a little olive oil and butter. This is a favorite way my family likes to see this vegetable show up at the dinner table.

Front and Center Cauliflower
1 head of fresh cauliflower
1/4 cup butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. They don't have to be too small, just manageable on the dinner plate! Steam the cauliflower over water with 1/4 cup of cider vinegar added. This infuses a bit
of a tang to the cauliflower. Steam until just done. Remove from heat and cool a bit.

Place the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan.

Combine the flour and dry ingredients in a large, plastic bag and shake to mix well. Add the cooked cauliflower and shake to dust all the pieces with the seasoned flour. Now turn the heat on under the oil and butter. When it is bubbling, add the cauliflower and gently stir around until it is warmed through and getting tinges of brown. Make sure all the flour is 'baked' in and no white patches are evident. You might need to add a bit more butter/oil.

Serves four to six people as a side dish. Remember, if you have favorite herbs or spices, you can create your own version of the flour mixture. If you have some croutons in the cupboard, crush a few and scatter the crumbs over the hot cauliflower just before serving.

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