Cooking Cauliflower: Duration, Tips and Tricks

Blumenthal: tips on buying, storing, and cleaning

In addition to vitamin C, cauliflower also contains important folic acid and potassium.

• When you buy the cauliflower, it should be free of bruises and other dark discolorations. Also, take a look at the freshness of the leaves.
• If you buy a cauliflower, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Be sure to remove all of the leaves from the cauliflower first.
• To prepare, remove all the leaves from the bottom of the stalk. If you hold the cauliflower upside down under running water, the vegetables will be cleaned sufficiently.

Preparing cauliflower: this is how it’s done

How to prepare the cabbage:

• If you want to cook the cauliflower whole, cut the stalk crosswise. If you cut off smaller pieces of cauliflower from the stalk, the preparation time is significantly shorter.
• The pot should be large enough to fit the entire cauliflower and leave at least a few centimeters of space on the sides. Add a good teaspoon of salt or some vegetable stock to the water.
• Place the cauliflower in the pot, put the lid on, and boil the water. Then turn the heat down to medium-low so that the water continues to boil. A whole cauliflower takes about 20 to 25 minutes, individual florets only need 10 to 15 minutes.
• As with potatoes, you can tell whether the cauliflower is done with a prick test: stick a knife deep into the cauliflower. If it slides out on its own, the cauliflower is done. Drain the water or use a slotted spoon to remove the cauliflower from the pot.
• Tip: When cooking cauliflower, there are sometimes strong odors. If you want to minimize the odors, simply add a dash of milk or lemon zest to the pot. A dash of vinegar will also neutralize the smell but will affect the taste.