cauliflower

A member of the cabbage family which is composed of bunches of tiny florets on clusters of stalks. Cauliflower may be white, green or purple (which turns pale green when cooked). The entire floret portion (the "curd") is edible. The green leaves at the base are also edible, but take longer to cook and have a stronger flavor.

Ingredient

Season: available year-round

How to select: Look for firm compact heads and fresh leaves.

How to store: Tighly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or cooked for up to 3.

How to prepare: bake, boil, deep-fry, puree, raw, saute, steam Adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 cup milk to the cooking water will prevent discoloration.

Matches well with: almonds, bacon, bechamel sauce, bread crumbs, butter, cheese, chervil, chives, cream, creme fraiche, curry, garlic, ham, hollandaise sauce, lemon, mushrooms, mussels, nutmeg, nuts, olive oil, parsley, pepper, tomato sauce, walnuts