How Can I Cook Cauliflower?

The most common way to cook cauliflower is to use a pot of boiling, salted water. First, remove the bracts and divide the head into individual florets. Cauliflower then has a cooking time of around six to eight minutes before you remove the florets with a slotted spoon. Now you can serve the cabbage as a side dish in a bowl with a little butter or use it for creative cauliflower recipes. For example, you can boil cauliflower and then fry it. However, this is not necessary. You can also prepare the florets directly in the pan. The process can be accelerated if, after searing, you reduce the temperature, add a tablespoon of tap water and close the lid of the pan. After that, stew the cauliflower over low heat for a few minutes.

Prepare cauliflower: get rid of insects, odor, and bitter substances

If there are insects between the florets, you can soak the cauliflower in salt water before cooking to drive away the little insects. Don’t be afraid of a bitter taste. Today’s breeds hardly have any bitter substances. If you try a floret while you are cooking cauliflower and it tastes bitter, a pinch of cane sugar or honey in the cooking water will help. If you want to cook cauliflower without smelling it, adding a bay leaf to the cooking water will help. Just remember that it passes some of its aromas onto the florets.

Alternatives to cooking cauliflower

You can not only cook cauliflower. Steaming is also an option. Since this method is particularly gentle, it is particularly useful if you plan to cook cauliflower in one piece. To do this, put enough water in a large pot to cover the bottom by a few centimeters – and add a little salt. The cleaned and washed cabbage is placed on a steamer basket and the lid is closed. Whether you steam or boil cauliflower also depends on how much time you have. The whole head needs about 20 minutes to fully cook under steam. The oven provides another preparation option. The cabbage is also suitable for gratinating in the cauliflower casserole. Baked cauliflower is at least as delicious: simply marinate, wrap in aluminum foil, bake in the oven and serve with a spicy tahini sauce. You will also get to know a special form of preparation with our recipe for cauliflower rice. You can also roast cauliflower, refine it with aromatic spices and prepare our Indian cauliflower curry.

Boil and puree the cauliflower

Cauliflower can also be made into a puree, for example in our cauliflower puree recipe. For this, the vegetables are first cooked. If you break it up into individual florets, it will be easier to pound later. Add some milk, butter, and spices of your choice. Now you can either mash the cabbage with a potato masher and serve it like mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you can crush the ingredients with a hand blender or food processor. If you have prepared everything in this way, the cauliflower is particularly suitable as a basis for dips or soups. Finally, cauliflower also tastes great as an ingredient in casseroles or gratins. To do this, divide the head into individual florets and sauté it briefly with diced onions in melted butter. Then add about 100 ml of water and 200 ml of whipped cream, bring the mixture to a boil, and then cover and simmer for about five minutes. You can now complete this cauliflower base with Kassler, potatoes, or ham in a casserole dish to make a casserole or gratin.