Whole Cauliflower with Homemade Cheese Sauce ♥ How to Cook a Whole Head of Cauliflower

Today's vegetable recipe: How to cook a whole head of cauliflower, it's surprisingly unfussy! I like to drape mine in homemade cheese sauce, it makes for dramatic presentation, yes?

The sheer beauty of the vegetables arriving in the markets — that would be arriving from California and Mexico; that would be arriving in supermarkets, given that I write from Missouri, where gardeners worry whether there's still time to get cool-weather lettuces, peas too, into soggy gardens — some times stops me in my tracks. If I close my eyes, I can conjure them again, even many weeks later. Last winter, purple-topped turnips glistened in the mist. (Does your supermarket announce the start of the produce misters with a lively rendition of 'Singin' in the Rain'? Mine does!) A couple of weeks back, the eggplants were baby-bottom smooth, there was no not running a hand along their smoky curves. This week's vegetable miracle was a bin overflowing with perfect white heads of cauliflower, unblemished, taut with life.

When a beautiful head of cauliflower presents itself, I'm tempted to cook it whole, like my mother did, but the idea always seemed a touch fussy. Hardly! All it took was trimming the cauliflower (which has to happen anyway) and then cooking it in shallow boiling water for 20 minutes. Yes, that easy. And isn't it pretty?!!

KITCHEN PARADE by SHIRLEY I'm publishing this recipe today, especially, because serving a whole head of cauliflower was one of my mother's very favorite recipes for 'company dinners' and today would have been one of celebration, her 80th birthday. More of my mother's recipes are collected in one place at Kitchen Parade by Shirley, memories through recipes.

UPDATE: No cheese in the house? No problem, try this dramatic-looking cauliflower, the head is roasted whole! It's at Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Vinaigrette.

WHOLE CAULIFLOWER with HOMEMADE CHEESE SAUCE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves about 8

HOMEMADE CHEESE SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk (see TIPS)
4 ounces good melting cheese (see TIPS), in small pieces

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on MEDIUM HEAT, add the onion and let cook til just soft. Stir in the flour and combine well until any possible floury clumps are worked out. Let the flour cook for a minute or two (see TIPS). Slowly add the milk (see TIPS), a tablespoon at a time at first, incorporating each spoonful completely before adding another. Add the cheese and let melt, stirring often with a wooden spoon (see TIPS) until fully melted. Do not allow to boil. Cheese sauce may be made in advance and gently rewarmed to serve.

WHOLE CAULIFLOWER
Two inches water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 whole head of cauliflower, rinsed well under running water

Warm cheese sauce
Smoked paprika, fresh herbs, fresh chives, other garnish, optional but pretty

Fill a large pot (see TIPS) with about two inches of water and salt and bring to a boil.

Trim off the cauliflower leaves. Working carefully, use a knife to cut a shallow V in the core, cutting away the very center but without severing any florets, this might take one or two tries. Insert the tip of the knife into the center of the visible florets a half inch or so, this lets the heat more easily penetrate the inner core without overcooking the outer areas.

Core-side down, place the cauliflower in the pot, cover and cook with the water simmering happily away for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower's core is fully cooked. Gently remove from the pot and let drain, core side down, in a colander or on a double layer of paper towels for a minute. Gently lift into a serving bowl.

Immediately, top with a warm layer of cheese sauce and sprinkle with paprika or another garnish. Serve immediately with remaining cheese sauce on the side.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving, Assumes 8 Servings: 108 Calories; 6g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 15mg Cholesterol; 191mg Sodium; 9g Carb; 3g Fiber; 4g Sugar; 6g Protein; Weight Watchers 2 points

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
MILK Skim milk and other low-fat milks can be used but can, some times, turn out a little bit grainy so I usually use whole milk, despite the added calories.
MELTING CHEESE My mother was partial to Kraft American cheese for melting, Velveeta too. I tell myself that I'm 'honoring' her by continuing the tradition but the truth is, I'm partial to their melting qualities too. Anyone unemcumbered by such plebian taste might use use Gruyere, Fontina, Monterey Jack. I see notes that advise against using low-fat cheeses but don't have that personal experience.
WOODEN SPOON To avoid stringy cheese sauce, stir with a wooden spoon rather than using a whisk.
POT Make sure your pot is deep enough to hold the cauliflower after it's cored. If there's room for a steamer basket, you might use it.

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MORE FAVORITE CAULIFLOWER RECIPES
~ One-Skillet Cauliflower with Cheese ~
~ Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese ~
~ Creamy Cauliflower Gratin ~
~ more cauliflower recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Cauliflower Salad with Fresh Herbs ~
~ Lighter Mashed 'Potatoes' ~
~ Cauliflower Risotto ~
~ more cauliflower recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

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© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon & Garlic ♥ Recipe

The broccoli recipe I just couldn't get right until now. Turns out, it's as simple as can be, just roast the broccoli (careful knife work makes a difference) and then splash with lemon juice. Low carb. Weight Watchers 1 point.

There's a reason why a food blog about vegetables, yes, that's A Veggie Venture, has more than 1000 vegetable recipes but doesn't yet have one for something very basic, roasted broccoli. I've tried a half dozen time to like broccoli roasted in the oven, it just wasn't happening. I'd even reached the conclusion that while broccoli could be roasted, why waste a cruciferous bunch to the oven? I decided to give it one more try.

Turns out, the trick to roasting garlic is what happens after roasting, just a splash of lemon juice. I know, I know, call me the last person in the world to know this about broccoli and lemon. But. Now. I. Do. TOO.

TODAY'S SMILE People may love broccoli but sure can't spell it. Google searches often come in for 'brockley' and 'brockly'. Welcome, broccoli lovers! You've found the right place.

ROASTED BROCCOLI with LEMON & GARLIC

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sprinkle of freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh broccoli, end of rough stalk trimmed, cut into florets, florets cut into halves or quarters to create flat surfaces
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 425F. For easy clean-up later, cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, salt and pepper. Add the broccoli and with your hands, slather the broccoli in the oil and seasonings, this will take a little while, maybe a minute, but it's the single way to distribute a small amount of oil on something as uneven as broccoli. Distribute the broccoli evenly on the foil, flat surfaces down, and tuck in the garlic between. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes or until the desired level of doneness is achieved - I like the stalks to still have a little 'bite' and the very tender tips to be slightly crunchy. Remove from the oven and squeeze the lemon juice over top. Serve and savor, immediately.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 73 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 328mg Sodium; 9g Carb; 3g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 3g Protein; Weight Watchers 1 point

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
The oil and seasonings will adhere to the broccoli better if it's completely dry.
Flat surfaces mean that oil and heat can make direct contact, this is a good thing for it means the broccoli will caramelize.
Try to cut the broccoli into like-sized pieces so they'll cook evenly

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MORE FAVORITE BROCCOLI RECIPES
~ Perfect Pan-Fried Broccoli ~
~ How to Trim Broccoli ~
~ How to Cook Broccoli in the Microwave ~
~ more broccoli recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Power Food Broccoli Salad ~
~ Quick Broccoli Soup ~
~ Smashed Potatoes & Broccoli ~
~ more broccoli recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010

Chayote Soup with a Kick ♥ Recipe from the Seasons of My Heart Cooking School in Oaxaca, Mexico

Today's soup recipe, a bisque, really, a creamy blend of chayote squash, onion, garlic and spinach and for that promised kick, roasted poblano. Serve it at room temperature or better still, chilled.

Last week when I published the recipe for my current favorite protein-rich brunch dish, Refried Bean Sauce with Eggs on Top at Kitchen Parade, I teased a little about someone attending the Seasons of My Heart cooking school outside Oaxaca, Mexico. Well, the secret's out: that lucky someone was me! (Remember those little Mexican jumping beans that used to be sold at dime stores? That was me, so excited about this day.)

The school is owned by the lovely Susana Trilling. Readers may know her cookbook, also called Seasons of My Heart and the 1999 PBS series called (menotes a theme here, you too?) Seasons of My Heart.

My brain is madly processing the day at Seasons of My Heart, the whole week really, even while my fingers pore through hundreds of photos, picking and cropping, all to build and frame the story, one plate, one dish at a time. More later ...

In the mean time, the soup, the soup! In the many-course meal at Seasons of My Heart, the soup wasn't the favorite (that, people, involves mounds of mangoes and pillows of cream whose recipe, I promise, will emerge some time soon) but it was the one dish we all imagined making most often. In the dim evening light of the Mexican high desert, the soup's color was a pretty pale green; mine today turned out decidedly more spinach green, which makes me think less spinach is a good idea.

In the grocery line, the woman behind me asked, "What will you make with the chayote?" I pointed to the poblano, "Chayote soup with a kick". She smiled. The chayote soup of her childhood, she remembered, was pale and bland. "How will you make it?" she asked. Here's how.

WHAT IS CHAYOTE? See chayote in the A-Z of Vegetables. It's one of the funniest looking vegetables, ever, think the face of a grumpy toothless old man at best, a fat plumber's crack at worst, sorry for that last but really, it's true.

TESTIMONIALS
"Made the soup this afternoon with one of my granddaughters (she's 6) ... It is fantastic (and that's when it's still warm)! " ~ Bobbi

CHAYOTE SOUP with a KICK

Hands-on time: 35 minutes
Chilling time: 1 - 2 hours
Makes 10 cups

1 - 2 poblano peppers, roasted & skins removed (how to roast peppers in the oven)
1 large white onion, trimmed, peeled and quartered
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1-1/2 pounds chayote (about 3 medium chayote), trimmed, peeled and cut into eighths (see TIPS about handling raw chayote)
1/4 - 1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed well and thick stems removed
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (see how to make Homemade Chicken Stock) or a vegetable stock

3-1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Kosher salt to taste (be generous, keep tasting)

OPTIONAL GARNISH
Sprinkles of cotija cheese
Sprinkles of nutmeg

In a large pot, combine the onion, garlic, chayote, spinach, chicken stock and poblano pepper flesh as it's prepped and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and let simmer for about 30 minutes until the chayote is soft and cooked through. Remove from the heat.

IMPORTANT: We know about hot liquids and blenders, right? If not, please review this blender safety tip. In batches, filling the blender no more than half full each time, puré the cooked ingredients until completely smooth. Return to the stockpot, stir in the milk and cream. Stir in the nutmeg and salt. Chill for 1 - 2 hours.

Garnish soup servings with crumbled cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Cup, made with whole milk & cream as specified, assumes 1/2 tablespoon cotija per serving: 177 Calories; 12g Tot Fat; 7g Sat Fat; 42mg Cholesterol; 232mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 1g Fiber; 5g Sugar; 6g Protein; Weight Watchers 4 points
Per Cup, made with skim milk & fat-free half & half, assumes no cheese: 84 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 12mg Cholesterol; 208mg Sodium; 12g Carb; 1g Fiber; 6g Sugar; 6g Protein; Weight Watchers 1.5 points (I haven't made it this way but think it might be just fine, certainly worth a try)

ALANNA'S TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
One pepper, I think would be fine. For this batch, I used two because the flesh was so thin.
Susana recommends wearing plastic gloves to handle the chayote. I forgot and did experience that temporary sensation of 'drying' skin. It wasn't uncomfortable and washed away after an hour or so.
To cut a chayote, just trim off the stem end (the non-goofy looking side) and then peel. Then cut right through the chayote following the goofy-looking line. A chayote has a soft seed inside, you cook it too.
For a prettier, paler green, next time I'll try 1/4 pound of spinach instead of the 1/2 pound called for in the recipe.
At the cooking class, the soup bowls were garnished with grated jicama and chopped roasted peanuts. None of us were so keen on those so here I've substituted the cheese crumbles that seem to top every food dish in Oaxaca, called cotija. Feta would be a substitute, I also like the idea of tiny cubes of avocado or a spoonful of sour cream.
Note to Vegetarians

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MORE FAVORITE MEXICAN RECIPES
~ Avocado Dip ~
~ Quick Zucchini Mushroom Hominy Tacos ~
~ Easy Salsa Dressing ~
~ more chayote recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Chilaquiles ~
~ Quinoa & Black Bean Salad ~
~ Mexican Gashouse Eggs ~
~ more Mexican recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

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© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010

How to Roast Potatoes to Perfection ♥ (Maybe) My Grandfather's Recipe for English Roasted Potatoes

Today's recipe: A two-step technique for roasting potatoes that produces potatoes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

So I've been thinking about Chocolate & Zucchini's post for Perfect Roast Potatoes for two months now. Seriously, Clotilde, you stopped me in my tracks three ways. Such is the power of blogging, yes?!

THE BIG IDEA First, the idea of mastering, really nailing, the simple recipes you'll make again and again. Until now, my own practice has been all about variety, throwing noodles against the wall to see how each one sticks. That's well and good but what, you know, if you'd just like to roast some really good potatoes? You want to know exactly how to do that. Thank you, Clotilde, this idea has embedded itself in my brain, it won't let go.

SIMPLE IS GOOD BUT IT ISN'T ALWAYS BEST Second, Clotilde's recipe for roasted potatoes. Yes, it takes two steps and usually, I'm all about eliminating steps. But these are by far the crispiest, most evenly cooked roasted potatoes, to emerge from my oven. I've made them every couple of weeks since mid-January, they're fabulous. The lesson is, some times, not always but some times, a little extra effort pays huge dividends.

JUST MAYBE, A FAMILY CONNECTION Third, I call this Clotilde's recipe but all her commenters from Britain are asking, "Isn't this how everyone roasts potatoes?" In a funny way, I keep thinking that this is my grandfather's recipe for roast potatoes -- a grandfather who died when my mother was young, so not a man I knew, but he was English, and family lore says that he loved Sunday dinner's roast beef with roasted potatoes. What a funny recipe connection, this. If my Canadian family ever updates the family cookbook, I'll include this recipe and call it "Grampa's English Roasted Potatoes".

So what's the big deal about these roasted potatoes? Technique, technique, technique.

Step One - Cook the peeled or partially peeled potato pieces in salted water for 5 minutes. This is called 'parboiling' - it means to 'partially' cook.
Step Two - Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. This is the fun part -- do a little dance, shake it up, you want the potatoes to bounce off the sides of the pot and each other, roughing them up a little. It's fun!
Step Three - Drop the potatoes into a baking sheet that's been heated -- oil and all -- in a hot oven. The potato pieces will sizzle as they hit the hot oil, a good thing! Toss them around, covering all the surface. Roast and toss, roast and toss. That's it!

The potatoes (and carrots too, if you're a carrot lover) have been roasted to perfection. You're gonna love these, I promise.

REVIEWS
"Just tried this & it is lovely -- " ~ FF

HOW TO ROAST POTATOES to PERFECTION

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 50 minutes
Serves 4 - 8 (see TIPS)

1 pound potatoes (see ALANNA's TIPS), washed well and peeled or partially peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound carrots, optional, trimmed, peeled and cut in two-inch lengths on the diagonal
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400F. Bring the potatoes and salted water to cover to a boil. Once the water boils, cook the potatoes for 5 minutes. While they cook, cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and pool the olive oil in the center. Before draining the potatoes, slip the baking sheet into the oven. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Shake the pot around until the outer edges are rough and bruised. Remove the baking tray from the oven and drop the potatoes and carrots into the oil. Drizzle with salt and swish the pieces around until the sides are coated with fat. Roast for about 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes and every 5 minutes afterward. Transfer to a serving dish, serve and savor!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
For serving 4, Per Serving: 183 Calories; 7g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 84mg Sodium; 29g Carb; 6g Fiber; 7g Sugar; 3g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points

For serving 8, Per Serving: 91 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 42mg Sodium; 14g Carb; 3g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 1g Protein; Weight Watchers 1.5 points

ALANNA'S TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
POTATO CHOICES For soft-skinned potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon smooth-fleshed potatoes, say, use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of the skin, one running vertically and one horizontally. For rough-skinned potatoes like Idaho mealy-fleshed baking potatoes, peel the entire potato.
WHY ADD CARROTS? Because they're so good, especially combined with the potatoes. But honestly, I add carrots to the potatoes to provide a lower-carb vegetable to eat with the potatoes.
SERVING SIZE Roasted vegetables shrink so portion size is tricky. I normally allow 1/4 pound of vegetables per serving but have learned with potatoes, especially, even ones that aren't as good as these, that this seems really skimpy and that what 'seems' like a serving if closer to a 1/2 pound. Clotilde, too, says she allows well more than a half pound of potatoes per person. The carrots are my way to 'fill us up' without gorging on potatoes. The other night, two of us ate half of this recipe but I counted it, per person, as one 1/4 pound serving of potatoes and one 1/4 pound serving of carrots. The math works for me. Forewarning, it took will power not to gobble these up!
LESS OIL I'm intrigued that 1 tablespoon of oil per pound of potatoes/carrots is more than enough for these roasted potatoes and carrots. This is the 'standard' oil:vegetable ratio I use. But roasted vegetables always seem to need more, so 2 tablespoons per pound has become my standard. I'm going to experiment with heating the oil first with other roasted vegetables, this might make a big difference in how much oil is needed. I'll check and report in!
OIL vs DUCK FAT Forever and more, I've been intending to roast potatoes in duck fat, something I hear is heavenly. Clotilde mentions duck fat too. In St. Louis, there's just one place to buy duck fat, Kitchen Conservatory, I must get by there soon!

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MORE 'PERFECT' POTATO RECIPES
~ Slooow Baked Potatoes ~
~ Best Ever New Potatoes & Green Beans ~
~ Rosemary Potatoes ~

~ more potato recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Lighter Mashed 'Potatoes' ~
~ Mashed Potatoes & Carrots ~
~ Smashed Potatoes & Broccoli ~
~ more potato recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010

Crispy Salty Kale Chips ♥ Recipe aka Why Did I Wait So Long to Bake Kale in the Oven?

Today's vegetable snack: Fresh kale rubbed with a little oil and mustard (or a vinegar, anything with a little acid) and then baked until crispy and salty. Weight Watchers 1 point.

A couple of St. Louis restaurants are famous for their flash-fried spinach. People like the spinach so much, I get tempted again and again. But to my taste, it's just a greasy pile of greens, especially because it cools down so fast, becoming a cold greasy pile of greens. Eww.

I figured that the food-blog famous kale chips would be the same. But not! They taste fresh and alive and I just love the crispy-salty texture. I have the idea that they'd make a quick pre-supper snack, a way to stave off hunger with something hot and nutritious while cooking the meal.

There's a Woody Allen line about the difference betweeen Episcopalians and Catholics: "All of the pomp, none of the guilt". The same applies to kale chips and flash-fried spinach: "All of the greens, none of the grease."

RECIPE for CRISPY SALTY KALE CHIPS

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes

Fresh kale - at my grocery, 3 bunches weigh a pound
Olive oil - allow about 1 tablespoon per pound of kale
Apple cider vinegar or mustard - allow about 1 tablespoon per pound
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375F, 400F, up to about 450F. The higher the temperature, the faster the roasting. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Under running water, wash each kale leaf carefully, splaying the leaves to get into the crevasses. Arrange in a single layer on a double layer of paper towels. When the paper towels are completely covered, put another paper towel on top and press gently to remove as much water as possible. (See TIPS.)

In a bowl, mix the oil and vinegar or mustard. Add the kale and loosely swirl the leaves around to distribute the oil mixture. With your hands, rub the leaves together, the objective is to cover every bit of leaf with the oil and mustard/vinegar, working the oil into the leaves. Arrange the leaves in a single layer on the baking sheet. "Rain" with salt -- be generous!

Bake for 5 minutes to start, then stir around and bake for another 5 or 10 minutes. We like the kale best when it's still quite green but with some salty crispiness versus completely crispy. Tastes may vary so taste as you go along! Serve hot! Savor!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
(How many calories in Kale Chips? How many Weight Watchers points in Kale Chips?) Assumes that 1 pound serves 8, Per serving: 44 Calories; 2g Protein; 2g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 6g Carb; 1g Fiber; 337mg Sodium; 0mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
I have the idea that Kale Chips just might be a great snack preceding supper, something to snack on while cooking. If so, I'd do the primary prep step in advance, so the cleaning and drying, maybe even the cutting, would be done ahead of time.
I tried the kale using just oil and salt but love the dimension that a little bit of acid from either mustard or vinegar (or lemon juice, say) added.

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MORE FAVORITE KALE RECIPES
~ Quick 'Massaged' Kale Salad ~
~ more kale recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010