by Jenni Michell, Harvest Rd. | photo by Janis Jean Photography –
When I was approached to create a One Food, Three Ways contribution for this issue, I instantly knew what vegetable I would use. We live in an unique area where our climate allows over wintered cauliflower to grow, providing a nice early spring crop that then carries on in season locally right through the end of the year. I love cooking with cauliflower at home because of its ability to stand up to big flavours, not to mention its long list of health benefits. I hope to inspire you to see the beauty in cauliflower’s shape, colour and multitude of uses.
Roasted Cauliflower with Burrata
1 head of cauliflower, broken apart into florets
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil
6 tsp of a blend (1 tsp each) smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper
1 cup of chopped herbs; be creative!
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup toasted nuts of your choice; I like to use pine nuts
8 oz burrata cheese
Preheat oven to 425°. Toss the cauliflower with olive oil and spices until it is evenly coated and roast for 25 – 30 minutes until it is charred.
Finely chop your herbs and mix with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I like to use any mix of dill, cilantro, basil, parsley and mint, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve the cauliflower on a dish and break the burrata over top and sprinkle the herb salad all over. Finally, top it with some toasted pine nuts.
Cauliflower Breadsticks
1 large head of cauliflower (6 cups cauliflower rice)
2 large eggs,
whites only
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
salt and pepper
marinara sauce for dipping
Preheat oven to 375°. Chop the cauliflower and pulse in a food processor until you have a rice-like consistency.
Place into a dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and transfer to a bowl lined with a tea towel and cool for about 15 minutes. Fold the tea towel and squeeze the liquid out of the cauliflower “ball” as hard as you can. I squeezed out approx. 1 cup of liquid.
Increase the oven to 425°. Mix the cauliflower, egg whites, ½ cup cheese, seasoning and salt and pepper. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten with your hands into a rectangle; around ¼” thick.
Bake for 18 minutes, remove and top with remaining cheese and bake another 5 minutes. Broil until golden. Cut into breadsticks and serve with marinara sauce.
Cauliflower Tabouleh
1 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups)
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped herbs; parsley and mint work well
2 lemons, zest and juice
salt and pepper to taste
Chop the cauliflower and pulse in a food processor until you have a rice-like consistency. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers or pita.
