In reality, a prose in praise. Ode seemed ideal for a moment however, an ode would be confining and a bit perplexing for imparting a recipe. An ode, however tends to be as an elegy also is, a literary form for praise. It is meant to elevate the subject. Inherited from pre Christian, pre Roman times back again some more to the glorious theater times in Greece where writing was recited with dancers and musical accompaniment, an ode is a poetic form. Cauliflower may not by itself be ode worthy but cauliflower rice is in another realm. (Chef kiss.)
Cauliflower is a beautiful vegetable. From the Brassicaceae, the mustard family, close relations are broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens and kale. An annual plant, it is grown from seed. Part of the diet for a very long time, the first cauliflower may have sprouted up in Cypress as we know it is included in ‘Natural History’ by the Roman author Pliny the Elder.
Described physically as a curd or cheese like shape, it might also be described as a brain double for Halloween party dining fare. Our modern market offers festive colors. Purple, white, golden or orange, green and broccoflower, a broccoli mash up hybrid with incredible swirls and peaks.
Caulibroc above. Close up shows the magical fairy castles to be found.
The green caulibroc and the other colors of cauliflower are pictured here. The orange or yellow cauliflower has sometimes been called ‘cheddar’ but, just no.
The following simple suggestions use a white variety to stay with the idea of a rice like appearance. The variations on how to make this are literally unlimited and create a real playground for what’s in the fridge right now. First, get your veg. Select one that looks pretty and devoid of blemishes and little black or grayish smudges. These are signs of age and is degrading but like all veggies you can simply scrape or cut away any imperfections before cooking and carry on. A hand scraper can be used however a small food processor is recommended and instructions here use one. So let’s do it.
Unwrap, cut away and discard the leaves. Rinse. From the underside, start to cut out the core by cutting away the florets (the individual bubbles) but not too small or big. Cut to fit comfortably into whatever processor you have. Grind or pulse but be careful as it goes quickly. The bits should be rice sized but not like fine sand. It could take four fillings of the processor to complete the whole vegetable. Dump the ‘rice’ into a waiting bowl. Lining it casually with paper towels can help eliminate excess moisture. Each vegetable may work differently. At this point, you can store the rice for later or continue on to cook it up.
Here’s where you get to be creative. The basic drill is, heat a skillet you like for stir frying and add a bit of oil, butter if it suits you and the other dishes. Spoon in a heaping kitchen spoon or two per serving in and spread out. A dash of pepper. Salt if you cook with it but not necessary. As it is sautéing, splash in some broth or water to allow for some gentle softening. No more than a teaspoon or two per handful of the rice. The cauliflower rice won’t shrink or expand so just eyeball it. Keep a lid on but partially open. You want the liquid to steam off and yet soften the vegetables. It takes about 5-7 minutes to cook the cauliflower rice over a medium heat and can be used plainly as a side dish or a bed for anything you’d use with real rice.
For an interesting addition, start by chopping a quarter or so of an onion into small bits. Sauté those well in oil and or butter till starting to go transparent. You will be continuing to cook these but you want them to have a head start. Chop broccolini or some broccoli bits fairly small so they cook quickly and give some different texture to the rice. Sauté those into the onions. Splash in some liquid. Add the rice and cook as above adding more liquid as needed. When getting to the end of your cook time, toss in chopped parsley and minced shiitake mushrooms. Fresh basil or mint sprinkled at the end.
Top with some shrimp or chicken. You can think of the cauliflower rice as a veggie or a starch substitute adding a small pasta side or a piece of crusty warm bread. Chopped so finely the cauliflower rice has a much milder flavor that takes on the taste of the accents you devise.
As one of my childhood inspirations would say in her signature and spirited way, “Bon appetit”.
Wunderbar!!!
Wunderbar!!!