Edible Island: Cauliflower is Cool
By Carolyn Goodwin
July 20, 2007

Cauliflower made its debut on farmers’ tables in the past couple of weeks. Christine of Leap Frog Farm says that she has a bumper crop coming on as she points to several lovely, tight heads of white and gold cauliflower. Farmhouse Organics, Butler Green Farms, Persephone Farm, and several other farmers also have cauliflower this month.

Cauliflower has the misfortune of coming into season when it’s somewhat out of favor. Its value as a flavorful addition to summer dishes is totally overshadowed by its usual role in the soups and stews of fall. But it can add a whole new dimension to your standard summer fare. It’s wonderful as a crunchy accent to a summer salad, roasted to nutty tenderness, or cooked and pureed as a summer party dip.

Imagine how lovely golden cauliflower buds would be in your next summer salad, like this Cauliflower and spinach salad from New York chef Anthony Mangieri.

Cauliflower and curry are a great summer combo, as in this summery couscous salad.  It also pairs well with spicy arugula and bacon in this marinated salad.

Try using the orange variety to make a colorful and simple summer side dish. Just steam the cauliflower for 4 minutes until tender, or cook it in the microwave. Puree the cauliflower, adding a little butter and cream as you go, until it's the consistency of mashed potatoes, finishing with salt and pepper to taste.

Cauliflower can also spice up a summer entrée. Blogger “Chef John” created a deliciously simple twist on the old standard spaghetti with olive oil by adding cauliflower.  Or combine cauliflower with broccoli rabe, a bitter green that’s available from Persephone Farm, in a saffron laced fish dish that could substitute halibut or other white fish for the striped bass. Here’s a creative combo of cauliflower puree with bay scallops and kumquats from Chef Daniel Boulud.

Of course, cauliflower is a standard addition to a summer crudités platter. Here’s a slightly more interesting version that uses many of the vegetables that are available now in a lovely aioli platter.
 
Cauliflower can be the mystery ingredient in tasty summer party dips, as in this almond dip from TV chef Dave Lieberman. 
 
Finally, cauliflower can be the foundation of wonderful chilled summer soups, like Cauliflower Vichyssoise, or this lovely curried soup from chef Sheila Lukens.

So remember, cauliflower can be very cool. Don’t pass by the lovely cauliflower heads of summer.