"A little purity between holiday binges"

I love that idea -- let's focus on good, basic, non-processed and simple foods between the big deals of Thanksgiving and the holidays to come.
A former chef at the Berkeley foodie mecca, Chez Panisse, has posted this cauliflower soup recipe that will be just the ticket. Cauliflower is at its peak season now -- vendors at our Findlay Market have lovely, home-grown heads this weekend -- and this recipe has a blessedly short ingredient list.
Give it a try, even if you have to get your ingredients at the supermarket!

Recipe: Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large, fresh head cauliflower, broken into florets
Salt, to taste
5 1/2 cups water, divided
Olive oil and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1.   Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.

2.   Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes.

3.   Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.

4.   Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Curried Cauliflower and Squash

I made this for dinner, with brown rice and naan bread, the other night. We had plenty left over to go as a veggie side later in the week.
My husband said it was scrumptious!

Recipe: Curried Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Serves 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side
Ingredients:
3 T canola oil
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
2 cups cubed butternut squash, steamed or microwaved until not quite tender
2 T curry powder, or more to taste
1 cup water
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup bottled mango chutney
1/4 cup sliced nuts (preferably cashews, peanuts, or pumpkin seeds)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add celery, carrots, garlic and onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Add cauliflower and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until cauliflower starts to brown just a little. Add squash and stir well.
Stir in curry powder, water and tomatoes. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes, remove cover and test cauliflower for tenderness. When it's the way you like it -- not too soft -- stir in raisins, chutney and nuts.
Season with salt and pepper, and add a little cayenne pepper if you like more spiciness. You can also add more water if too much liquid has cooked out.
Serve as is, or over rice.

Pasta you will love!

The combo of toasted pine nuts and sweet currants adds wonderful flavors to this simple dish, based on pasta (I used orichiette or "little ears", probably misspelled) and cauliflower that's cooked until it's just tender but still al dente. I've substituted raisins for the currants with no ill effects, but the smaller sized fruit works better in terms of taste balance in each bite.

Pasta with Cauliflower, Currants and Pine Nuts
Serves 4

Note: You can omit the anchovies if you prefer, but the ingredient does add depth to the dish. Without the anchovies, it's a vegetarian main course.


Ingredients:
½ cup dried currants
¼ cup white wine
3 cups cauliflower florets, steamed lightly until tender but still firm
¼ cup olive oil
4 anchovy filets
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound pasta, preferably whole wheat (can use spaghetti type pasta or shapes such as penne), cooked according to package directions
¼ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs, toasted
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions:
Soak currants in wine for about 15 minutes and set aside.
Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Add anchovies and cook over high heat for about 1 minute, mashing them with a wooden spoon. Add cauliflower and cook until it begins to brown. Add pine nuts, currents in the wine and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, water and half of the grated cheese. When dish is heated through, adjust seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a large serving bowl, sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and the rest of the cheese. Serve immediately.

Indian food at home

The Healthy Foodie loves cauliflower! While it can be boring all by itself, cauliflower’s versatility and nutty texture--when cooked properly—make it a staple in our kitchen. Along with broccoli and cabbage, it is one of the most healthful veggies in the market, and you can get it year-round. But over the next couple of months, you may be able to find fresh, locally raised cauliflower at your farmers' markets.

You can substitute the broccoli/cauliflower hybrid “broco-flower,” if you like, in this vegan recipe. Serve with brown rice and perhaps a slice of nan bread.

Curried Cauliflower

(Serves 4)

Note: Make this a mild dish or a spicy one depending on the type of curry powder you use.

Ingredients:

3 cups cauliflower florets, steamed or blanched until fork-tender but still firm

1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil, plus cooking spray as needed

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

½ cup carrots, thinly sliced

½ cup celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste)

2 cups canned, diced tomatoes, drained

½ cup water

1 15-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed

½ cup regular or golden raisins

½ cup Major Grey chutney, or more to taste

½ cup fat-free half and half or light coconut milk

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

Instructions:

Heat oil in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. (Use cooking spray to coat bottom of pan with a thin film of oil, if needed.) Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until vegetables start to become tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder and blend well into vegetables. Add tomatoes, water, chick peas, chutney and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until mixture is well blended. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until dish is heated through. Uncover, add half and half or coconut milk. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve over rice (white or brown).

Recipes -- Cauliflower!

The Healthy Foodies love cauliflower! While it can be boring all by itself, cauliflower’s versatility and nutty texture--when cooked properly—make it a staple in our kitchen. Along with broccoli and cabbage, it is one of the most healthful veggies in the market, and you can get it year-round. Local farmers may have some at their stands right now, in July.

Here are a couple of tasty recipes with cauliflower as a star ingredient—one with an Italian accent, the other featuring Indian flavors. You can substitute the broccoli/cauliflower hybrid “broco-flower,” if you like.


Pasta with Cauliflower, Currants and Pine Nuts

Note: You can omit the anchovies if you prefer, but the ingredient does add depth to the dish.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ cup dried currants
¼ cup white wine
3 cups cauliflower florets, steamed lightly until tender but still firm
¼ cup olive oil
4 anchovy filets
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound pasta, preferably whole wheat (can use spaghetti type pasta or shapes such as penne), cooked according to package directions
¼ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs, toasted
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions:
Soak currants in wine for about 15 minutes and set aside.
Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Add anchovies and cook over high heat for about 1 minute, mashing them with a wooden spoon. Add cauliflower and cook until it begins to brown. Add pine nuts, currents in the wine and crushed red pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, water and half of the grated cheese. When dish is heated through, adjust seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to a large serving bowl, sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and the rest of the cheese. Serve immediately.


Curried Cauliflower
(Serves 4)
Note: Make this a mild dish or a spicy one depending on the type of curry powder you use.

Ingredients:
3 cups cauliflower florets, steamed or blanched until fork-tender but still firm
1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil, plus cooking spray as needed
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ cup carrots, thinly sliced
½ cup celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste)
2 cups canned, diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup water
1 15-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
½ cup regular or golden raisins
½ cup Major Grey chutney, or more to taste
½ cup fat-free half and half or light coconut milk
¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

Instructions:
Heat oil in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. (Use cooking spray to coat bottom of pan with a thin film of oil, if needed.) Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until vegetables start to become tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder and blend well into vegetables. Add tomatoes, water, chick peas, chutney and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until mixture is well blended. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until dish is heated through. Uncover, add half and half or coconut milk. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve over rice (white or brown).