Cauliflower: A User’s Manual

“Cabbage flower,� the literal translation of the word cauliflower , aptly describes this crucifer family member that produces tightly packed florets. Most of the cauliflower raised in this country is creamy white, but purple and green varieties are gaining in popularity.

If pale ivory florets, or curd, are desired, the plant’s leaves must be tied over the growing head to block out the sunlight. This labor-intensive procedure isn’t necessary for the variety with green curd that is a cross of cauliflower and broccoli.

The entire head of cauliflower is edible. Leaves may be chopped and added to soups or used in stir-fry dishes. Florets can be eaten raw as a crudite or cooked, cooled, marinated in vinaigrette dressing and served solo or added to green salads.

Florets and core, when cooked and served hot, team well with cheese sauce but can also simply be drizzled with melted lemon-butter. They also may be pureed and seasoned with a dash of nutmeg.

Cauliflower is available year round. Head size is not an indicator of quality, but select those with compact curd that are granular in appearance and unblemished by rust. The leaves should look fresh and green.

A medium head yields four servings. After purchase, the vegetable will retain its quality up to four days when wrapped or placed in a plastic food bag and refrigerated.

You can boil or steam cauliflower whole, but it cooks faster and more efficiently when prepared as follows: Pull off any leaves that are still attached to the bottom (Step 1). Next cut off the stem as close as possible to the base (Step 2).

Either break or cut the florets from the inner core (Step 3), then peel each stem (Step 4). Those more than 1/4-inch thick will cook more evenly if split (Step 5).

The inner core of cauliflower should be thinly sliced (Step 6). Once all the pieces are prepared, rinse well under cold, running water.

Place the cauliflower in a saucepan with about an inch of boiling water. Cover, bring the water to a boil again over medium heat and cook the vegetable about six minutes, just until tender-crisp.

Adding a teaspoon or two of lemon juice to the cooking water helps retain the white color. The green variety maintains its color without the lemon juice and requires a little less cooking time.

Cauliflower may also be steamed over boiling water. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes.

Covering the pan minimizes the strong cabbage odor this vegetable emits while cooking. Overcooking any variety causes it to become mushy and develop a stronger taste and smell.

For an attractive presentation, reassemble the cauliflower pieces into a head after they are cooked. To do this, butter a bowl (Step 7) slightly smaller than the original head of cauliflower.

Beginning with the longest florets, place them in the bowl with the stems pointing up and toward the center. Add the shorter florets around the sides of the bowl (Step 8). Place the cut slices last, in the center (Step 9).

Holding a serving plate over the bowl, invert both (Step 10), then remove the bowl (Step 11). Tuck any stray pieces into place.