What you should know about cauliflower
Cauliflower originated in the Mediterranean and was popular in Europe in the 17th century. It reached America as a commercial crop in the 1920s. As its name would imply, the white head is actually the flower of the plant. While it grows, the head (also called the curd) is protected from sunlight by thick green leaves that prevent it from developing chlorophyll. This accounts for the lack of color. When cauliflower does get exposed to sunlight during the growing process, it becomes discolored and the flavor is unpleasant.
When you look at the nutritional value of cauliflower, you find that it contains a lot of water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C, folate and vitamin B-6. This is why boiling or any form of over-cooking cauliflower is a bad idea, since a lot of the nutrients will either end up in the water or be destroyed by the heat. Fortunately, cauliflower is so delicate, it can be eaten raw in salads or as a crudité. If you cook it, use a steamer or microwave to preserve the nutrients. If you do cook it in water, recycle the cooking water into a soup or stew to capture the lost vitamins.
Because it is related to broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower also contains a number of phytochemicals, which are thought to be powerful antioxidants and may slow down or stop tumor development.
There are different kinds of cauliflower. One is actually a cross between cauliflower and broccoli -- broccoflower; the head can come in several shades of green. The taste is actually a little sweeter than cauliflower.
Purple cauliflower will turn green when cooked and may contain some additional phytochemicals not found in the white varieties.
Shopping for cauliflower
When you select cauliflower, make sure that the heads are firm and compact. If you're buying white cauliflower, look for a head that is white or creamy white, with no brown spots. The size of the head doesn't matter (except for the quantity you plan to prepare), but any leaves that remain should be crisp and green. If you see green leaves growing in between the individual florets, just pull them out before cooking. If you buy cauliflower that has already been separated into florets, make sure that they are not discolored or mushy. Broccoflower should meet the same standards, but the best heads are yellowish or pale green.
How to cook cauliflower
You can cook cauliflower whole, but this will take more time and you'll lose more nutrients. Remove the base of the core by using a small knife to cut around the stem. This will help it cook a little faster and more evenly. It is also easy to separate the head into individual florets that will cook very quickly. Just hollow out the inner core, and pull the florets apart. Be sure that none of the florets have started to turn brown; trim off those darker spots. You can chop up the inner core and cook that with the florets.
Because it is related to broccoli and cabbage, cauliflower has the annoying trait of producing sulfur compounds during cooking, and the odor can be unpleasant. Rapid cooking is the best way to keep the smells from lingering in your kitchen. These same sulfurous compounds can also react with aluminum or iron cookware, and will turn the cauliflower yellow or brown. If you don't have other kinds of cookware, add a little acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to the cooking water to help preserve the natural color.
In our book Wellness Foods A to Z (Rebus, 2002), we suggest tossing the florets with some olive oil and several cloves of unpeeled garlic, and then roasting them together, uncovered, in a 375-degree oven until both are golden brown and tender. Or how about tossing some florets into pasta sauce or adding them to an old favorite like macaroni and cheese? You can even use them to revitalize boring mashed potatoes, especially if you use broccoflower, which also adds some color.
If you have leftover mashed potatoes, add some chopped florets, cooked carrots and other vegetables, and nonfat milk, and you've got a hearty soup.
Cauliflower is a popular ingredient in Indian recipes, so get creative and cook the florets in a curry sauce, or add it to your favorite curried chicken recipe.
Sheldon Margen, M.D., is a professor of public health at the University of California at Berkeley. Dale A. Ogar is managing editor of the University of California at Berkeley "Wellness Letter." They are the authors of The Wellness Lowfat Cookbook (Random House, 1994) and The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition (Random House, 1992).
