Correspondent photo by Jodie Andruskevich Telegraph columnist and chef Marc Bouchard gives a cooking demonstration at the 2009 Culinary Delights Cook-Off.
Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower Pasta
Correspondent photo by Jodie Andruskevich Telegraph columnist and chef Marc Bouchard gives a cooking demonstration at the 2009 Culinary Delights Cook-Off.
As I have for many years now, I presented a live cooking demonstration as part of The Telegraph’s annual Culinary Delights Cook-Off held Saturday at the culinary arts facilities of Hudson’s Alvirne High School. Thanks as always to Chef Tim Buxton and his crew for their assistance and hospitality, and a special congratulations to not only the cook-off’s winners, but to all of the participants.
I like to think that the demonstration is an opportunity for me to share some of my cooking knowledge with some of the area’s most interested amateur chefs. But the fact of the matter is that I inevitably learn as much as they do.
For instance, I was sure that my preparation of a plate of spicy Lobster Fra Diavolo tossed with pasta would be the highlight of the day. After all, who can resist lobster?
But, in fact, I was wrong. Very wrong. Because at the end of the demo, all anyone could talk about was the simplest dish of all, my plate of Roasted Cauliflower.
Cauliflower is a member of the brassica family of vegetables, which includes broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. These veggies, also known as cruciferous vegetables, are noted for containing compounds that prevent a variety of cancers. Cauliflower also contains a very high level of vitamin C.
So, why don’t more people eat cauliflower? Two reasons.
First of all, a head of cauliflower looks pale and white, and is unfortunately shaped like one of those plastic models of the human brain that are found in every high school science lab. Not surprisingly, one glance at a head of cauliflower and most school-age kids go running in terror.
Second, most people do a horrible job of cooking cauliflower. Sorry, but it’s true. Either they undercook it, so it tastes like a rock, or they boil it to death so it is rendered soft, mushy and listless.
Cookbooks aren’t much help. For instance, they advise you to try pureeing the woefully overcooked cauliflower, turning it into a vegetable-flavored version of mashed potatoes. The result is a tasteless, nutritionless pile of watery pulp. Yuck!
That’s why I favor roasting this vegetable over any other method. Because roasting is the only mode that adds color, adds a nice smoky flavor, retains nutritional integrity and leaves the cauliflower fleurettes cooked through, while still retaining a slight crunchiness.
But don’t just listen to me. Listen to the folks at the cook-off, some of whom actually admitted that it was the first time in their lives that they actually enjoyed tasting cauliflower.
The real beauty of this recipe is that it is so easy. You just toss the broken fleurettes with a little oil, salt, pepper and one spice, place into the oven and wait until the buds begin to brown a little. Voila! Pull them out and serve.
I usually sprinkle my roasted veggies with paprika, since it helps to develop that nice smoky aroma. But turmeric is also a good choice, particularly for men. Believe it or not, the combination of cauliflower and turmeric is considered a potent deterrent to the development of prostate cancer. So eat up!
As if this dish wasn’t easy enough, it takes just a couple more steps for you to transform it into a delicious and simple pasta entree. Add a little oil, garlic and grated cheese, and you’ve got a healthy vegetarian pasta dish.
The final recommendation to roasting cauliflower – as if this dish needed more accolades – is that the cooked vegetable can be stored in the refrigerator for several days without losing anything in the way of flavor or texture. That means that, assuming you have any left over, you can toss a few pieces into your luncheon salad, dinner stir-fry, brunch omelet and so on. I even enjoy nibbling on them right out of the fridge, as a low-cal vegetable snack.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head cauliflower, trimmed
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon ground paprika or turmeric
Salt
Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate the fleurettes of the cauliflower, and in a bowl, combine them with the oil, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well so all of the fleurettes are seasoned. Distribute the cauliflower in one layer on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they have developed browned, crusty edges. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later use.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
CAULIFLOWER PASTA
2 tablespoons raisins
½ pound dried pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 head roasted cauliflower (see previous recipe)
1 teaspoon capers
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Cover the raisins with hot water, and let them sit for 15 minutes until they become soft. Drain the water.
Cook the pasta in a pot of lightly salted water. While it is cooking, assemble the remaining ingredients.
In a large (12- to 14-inch) skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, and cook 3-4 minutes until warmed through. Add the reserved raisins, the capers and garlic, and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the hot pasta and the grated Parmesan to the pan, and toss well. Taste for salt and pepper. If the pasta seems a bit dry, add some of the pasta water and toss until it coats all of the strands. Serve with a garnish of equal amounts of pine nuts and parsley.
Serves 4 as a main course.
Marc Bouchard, of Hudson, is executive chef at Stellina Restaurant in Watertown, Mass. Address comments or questions to him c/o Feast, The Telegraph, 17 Executive Drive, Hudson, NH 03051.
