Eat the rainbow: Colorful cauliflower packs tasty nutrients
Most of us are familiar with cauliflower in a single form: that ubiquitous head of white florets found in nearly every grocery store in the country. But cauliflower is increasingly available in a wide range of colors and varieties, and there’s a good reason to get familiar with them all.
Walk into Central Market and you’re likely to find cauliflower in shades of purple, green and orange. They all taste almost the same, but they each have different nutritional benefits from their more common white counterpart. This week we’re going to spell those out and put them to use in four different recipes. And you shouldn’t have trouble finding them at better-stocked supermarkets as cauliflower is a year-round crop with a peak season in colder months.
Creamy Cauliflower Dip
This recipe transforms cauliflower into a light and creamy appetizer similar to hummus. Orange or white cauliflower will hold their color best.
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), florets and stem cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, peeled
1⁄4 cup olive oil, divided use, plus more for serving
1 medium onion, thinly
sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons kosher salt,
divided
3⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon finely grated
lemon zest 3 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
Coarsely chopped parsley
(for serving)
Baby romaine hearts and endive leaves (for serving)
Instructions: Pour water into a medium saucepan to a depth of 1⁄4 inch; add the cauliflower and garlic. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until florets are very easily pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, cumin and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer the onion mixture to a blender. Add yogurt, lemon zest and juice, boiled cauliflower and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and purée until smooth. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a steady stream until well combined. If the dip is too thick, blend in 1 tablespoon of water at a time to reach the desired consistency. Let cool to room temperature.
Pour the dip into a wide bowl or platter. Drizzle with oil and top with parsley. Serve with romaine hearts and endive leaves alongside for dipping.
Makes 8 servings From epicurious.com