Not like the others! Awe and lots of questions yesterday hit Samacott Orchard's stand at the Daj Hammarskjod Plaza Greenmarket here in NYC. This purple and orange cauliflower and light green broccoli Romanesco got all the attention yesterday.
"Are they dyed?"
"Could I use these for a veggie dip tray?"
"Kinda creepy. Good for Halloween, I guess," we overheard.
We hit the excellent reference book Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider for some ideas, but we still need your help.
Schneider explains that "the whiteness of the flowery fleece, usually called 'curd,' may also be yellow, orange, pinkish, green, or purple depending upon the variety, the growing area, climate and regional preferences." The book explains that growing white cauliflower is backbreaking work: "the nest of dusky green leaves is tied in a loose bundle around the budding new head, which continues to grow until harvest." The leaves shield the cauliflower's curd and keep the vegetable white.
Chowhound's boards discuss the challenge of cooking with un-white cauliflower. The intense color fades when boiled or roasted.
We want to experiment and come up with some special, Fall Colors style recipes for these "pretty but puzzling" cauliflower. Schneider's book suggests microwaving without additional water to keep these beauties bright.
Do you have any other suggestions? If you can't wait for us to develop a recipe, here's one from Tigers and Strawberries.
But where does that purple come from? The cauliflower's purple color comes from the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage.
Why all the effort to keep the flowers white in the first place? I'm more tempted by pretty purple cauliflower than I am by blah white.
view Jim of ChewOnThat's profile
I imagine that if I ate the orange cauliflower, every bite I'd be disappointed that it didn't taste like cheddar. Like drinking water when you think it's Sprite.
view surplusj's profile
I just made purple cauliflower soup the other day. My recipe follows. The only thing I'd change is to maybe add some bacon with the onions and garlic. The resulting soup was a lovely lavender-purple colour. It's not as dark as the outside since the inside/stalks of the cauliflower is still white. If you trimmed more of the stalk off, it would probably be more purple. As with broccoli
Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil in the bottom of a large pot.
Add some (2c minimum) chicken stock (I make my own), the cauliflower chopped into florets, and add water to cover the cauliflower.
Bring to the boil and cook covered for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is done (tender enough that a sharp knife easily cuts stalk, but it will still be firm). As with broccoli, if you overcook it, you'll lose some of the colour. Much of it cooks out into the stock part anyways.
Strain out cauliflower and blend up with some of the purple liquid. Add liquid until it's a consistency you like (reserve the rest for purple soup stock that you can use to make a pretty risotto or something).
Salt and pepper to taste.
view angorian's profile
Oven Roasted Purple Cauliflower turns a really nasty shade of blue.
My chef convinced some stupid girl at work that yellow cauliflower was grown to taste just like cheddar cheese.
view Zora 's profile
The market on Lexington between 87th and 88th also has these out. I was shocked by them last night!
view Doug's profile
Purple Cauliflower Salad with Romaine and Hard-Boiled Egg.
(Click!)
Boil the cauliflower in acidulated water (water with a touch oflemon juice or vinegar) to preserve it's color. The purple, green, and yellow in the salad are beautiful. The anitoxidents in purple cauliflower are also those found in red wine that are supposed to be good for your heart.
view Mercedes's profile
Don't forget the stupendous Romanesco (in the top middle of the picture)! Better than any color, its shape will endure any cooking method... so long as you don't overcook it.
view Andy M.'s profile
i love the colors! and my friend emily has a killer recipe where she tosses the florets (get'em pretty small) in olive oil, minced fresh ginger and fresh mint - roasts them til browned and crispy, and then tosses them with lime juice and salt. yowza good. almost like pop corn.
view amy's profile
This the first time that i have ever seen a purple cauliflower plants
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