Cauli-power!

The humble cauliflower has had a massive image overhaul in the last year or so. Gone are the days of soggy, overcooked mush with sulphurous overtones (thank goodness!) - in fact to simply boil a creamy white floret might be seen as sacrilege now! Whether it's the raw crisp crunch or the rich, caramelised softness from roasting, our homegrown hero offers much to previous cauli detractors.

There's even whole features on them in food magazines, including this month's Waitrose magazine. And rightly so, as this previously underrated vegetable has much to offer, with outstanding taste,  nutrition and flexibility.
I've raved about cauliflowers before, using them as a base for a white sauce, and creating a 'cheesy' sauce and soup (see http://foodiesensitive.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/cheesy-cauliflower-soup-or-pasta-bake.html). The low-carb and paleo followers use cauliflower for a number of grain based alternatives like rice, and pizza base. I've tried the pizza base, as part of my search for the ideal pizza alternative - good taste but lots of effort! As for rice, I like the brown stuff myself, and all the goodness that goes with it, so not gone for the cauli-rice personally. The texture of cauliflower means that it can hold its form in curries and stews (as long as it's not added too early and overcooked) and absorbs spices really well, so works with a lovely dry curry like aloo gobi.
Whilst I always encourage eating an array of rainbow vegetables every day, there are still some beneficial white vegetables, cauliflower being one of them. As the head of creamy florets develop, they are protected from the winter weather by layers of dark green leaves that capture whatever winter sunlight they can to help them grow. As part of the super-healthy cruciferous family, cauliflowers share many of the powerful anti-cancer phytonutrients found in other brassicas like broccoli and cabbage. Whilst maybe not quite as nutrient dense, cauliflower still packs a good punch of vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium and of course fibre. And that sulphury aroma - that's released from the phytochemicals as they are cooked, so steam lightly rather then boil it to death, and not only will your house smell better, your body will benefit too!
My two favourite ways of using cauliflower are roasting or using to give a creamy, flavoursome texture, either as a sauce or in soup.

 Roasting caramelises the outer layer of the florets, creating a beautifully nutty flavour. You can try and roast a whole cauli in one go, but this takes at least an hour - I found these cute little mini caulis the other day, perfect for roasting, only taking about 20 minutes. And the flavour was fabulous!
Cauliflower as a cream in soup is really easy to use - this creamy cauliflower and sweet potato chowder is not only packed full of amazing nutrients, including vitamin A, C and a whole bundle of phytonutrients, the 'cream' is rich and flavoursome, and of course dairy free. And using all vegetables gives an extra boost of fibre to keep your intestines super happy!
My next foray into cauli versatility is to explore the world of cauliflower steaks, a new experiment for me in textures and flavours. So why not start discovering cauli-power for yourself, and watch out for more cauli raving in the future!
Cauliflower, red pepper and sweet potato chowder

1 teaspoon olive oil1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, chopped
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
2 teaspoons thyme
1 litre vegetable stock
salt and pepper
dairy free milk (optional)
parsley or basil to garnish (optional)
Heat a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a large pan and sauté the onion for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add the red pepper and sweet potato and cook for a few minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and continue to sauté until it starts to brown slightly (this is why you need a large pan, so you can move the vegetables around a bit!). Stir in the garlic and thyme, mixing well. Pour in the vegetable stock until the vegetables are covered (you can add more later if needed), bring to the boil, then put on the lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or so until all the vegetables are well cooked. Season with salt and pepper, cool slightly then blitz until smooth - add more vegetable stock or some dairy free milk to get the thickness you want. Check seasoning, then serve with a chopped herb garnish (optional).