Make cauliflower shine with these two recipes.
This week's Market Watch highlights cauliflower, from Tiny Planet Produce at the Kingfield Farmers Market. The farm is also a fixture at the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market.
Here are two recipes that put cauliflower front and center:
CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Serves 6.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. From "Tapas: The Dishes of Spain" by Penelope Casas (Knopf, $30).
1 small head cauliflower
2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp. minced hard-cooked egg
1 tbsp. freshly minced parsley
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, mashed into a paste or put through a garlic press
1 tbsp. capers
1 tsp. sweet smoked Spanish paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
Kosher or sea salt
Directions
Remove and discard cauliflower's thick stems and break into small flowerets. In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 inch water, salt and lemon juice to a boil. Add flowerets, reduce heat, cover and simmer until barely tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well and cool. Trim stems very close to flowerets, discard stems. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, capers, paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt to taste. Add cauliflower and mix, using a rubber spatula, until dressing is absorbed. Cover and marinate for several hours or overnight. When read y to serve, transfer cauliflower to a platter, sprinkle with egg and parsley and serve.
JOHN BESH'S CAULIFLOWER BLINTZ
Serves 4.
Note: From "How To Cook Like a Top Chef" by Emily Miller (Chronicle Books, $29.95). Besh is the chef/owner of August in New Orleans.
1 head cauliflower, trimmed, cored and coarsely chopped
1 potato, peeled and quartered
1/2 c. heavy cream, plus more as needed
1/2 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. smoked salmon, cut into julienne
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine cauliflower and potato and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, transfer cauliflower and potato to a blender. Add cream, chicken stock and butter and puree just until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Thin with more cream, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat a griddle to medium. Spoon small mounds of cauliflower mixture onto a prepared griddle and let set, about 20 seconds. Using a nonstick spatula, flip mound over and let set on other side, then remove mounds from griddle. Place on a platter, top with salmon and serve.
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