I’m not sure when or how this beautiful trend began, but over the past few years, some gloriously pigmented cauliflowers have been trickling into the produce aisles and farmers markets.
Have you seen them? Purple, pale orange and golden yellow floral faces peer back from among the more familiar white orbs. They retain a great deal of their color when cooked — the purple ones, especially, which become a rather magical shade of near blue.
Bright, edible hues in nature is mysterious and wonderful — and these visual cues can draw us more deeply and joyfully into vegetable appreciation and consumption.
Cauliflower-cheese antipasto
1 medium-large cauliflower (about 2 pounds) — colored, if available
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup diced mild white cheese (jack, fontina or something similar)
3 to 4 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil — or boil some water in the bottom section of a vegetable steamer. In the meantime, trim the cauliflower of its base and leaves and cut or break the rest into 3/4-inch florets. You should get about 6 cups.
Cook the cauliflower in or over the simmering water until just tender (2 to 3 minutes in the water; 5 or more minutes in the steamer). Refresh in a colander under cold running water, and drain thoroughly. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
Place a medium-small skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the cumin seeds, and cook over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until aromatic. Don’t let them burn. Add the onion and salt, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the onion becomes very soft. Stir in the garlic, and remove from the heat.
Add the sauteed onion mixture to the cauliflower, scraping in every last drop of oil. Stir in the vinegar and some black pepper, then add the cheese and optional sour cream or yogurt. Mix until thoroughly combined, and taste to adjust seasonings.
You can serve this right away, but for optimal flavor, I recommend covering the bowl and letting it stand for at least an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
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