Cauliflower

The holiday harvest

Small and clean-cut

Small heads of cauliflower are just as delicious as large ones. The key is to buy clean, creamy-white heads with buds that haven’t separated. Avoid cauliflower with spots, dull colors or flowers.

Get a-head

Store whole cauliflower heads in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you buy pre-cut florets, cook them within a day or two. If you can’t use the fresh cauliflower in time, cut it into florets and blanch them before freezing.

Leave it to cleaver

Look for cauliflower heads surrounded by many thick green leaves. These protect the florets before harvest, so the head should be fresher. The leaves are edible, but you will need to remove them — use a cleaver if you like — and cook them separately. Cut the florets right at the base of the stalk.

Make lemon your main squeeze

Cauliflower can turn brown if there is iron in your cookware. So keep your cauliflower white, by adding a little lemon juice.

Cook short to perfection

One good thing about cauliflower is its sulfur-rich, healthy phytonutrients so it shouldn’t be overcooked, particularly when stir-frying. If you have a recipe that gives a time range, shorter is better.

Home on the ranch

Raw cauliflower makes a great snack — healthy, low in calories and with its dietary fiber, it’s very satisfying. Treat yourself to a few florets with Hidden Valley® Ranch dressing while you’re making dinner. Your kids will love it, too.

The Winter Wonder Veggie

Creative ideas to make your kids hungry for cauliflower from the folks at Hidden Valley

Who says you can’t get fresh veggies in the middle of winter? With a peak season from December to March, it’ll make other vegetables simply green with envy. Whether it’s orange, purple, or the more familiar creamy white, make cauliflower your go-to veggie this time of year.

Pick

Small heads of cauliflower are just as delicious as large ones. The key is to buy clean, creamy-white heads with buds that haven’t separated. Avoid cauliflower with spots, dull colors or flowers. Also keep an eye out for heads that are surrounded by many thick green leaves, which serve to protect the florets before harvest.

Store

You can easily refrigerate whole cauliflower heads in a paper or plastic bag for up to a week. If you buy precut florets, try to cook them within a day or two. Can’t cook it in time? Cut the cauliflower into florets, blanch, and store in the freezer.

Prep

Just before you start to cook, rinse the cauliflower under cold water and remove the green leaves, which are edible. Use a cleaver or a large knife to cut the florets right at the base of the stalk, which you can discard. If needed, break or cut larger florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Cook

The key to success is in the timing. Cauliflower is high in sulfur-rich phytonutrients, which does a body good but smells a little funny. So don’t overcook cauliflower, especially when stir-frying. Also, cauliflower tends to turn brown in metal cookware, so add a little lemon juice to prevent this from happening. Try raw cauliflower for a healthy and satisfying snack that’s low in calories and high in dietary fiber. Simply help yourself to a few florets with Hidden Valley^® Ranch dressing while you’re making dinner. Your kids will love it, too.

The Winter Wonder Veggie

Who says you can’t get fresh veggies in the middle of winter? With a peak season from December to March, it’ll make other vegetables simply green with envy. Whether it’s orange, purple, or the more familiar creamy white, make cauliflower your go-to veggie this time of year.

Pick

Small heads of cauliflower are just as delicious as large ones. The key is to buy clean, creamy-white heads with buds that haven’t separated. Avoid cauliflower with spots, dull colors or flowers. Also keep an eye out for heads that are surrounded by many thick green leaves, which serve to protect the florets before harvest.

Store

You can easily refrigerate whole cauliflower heads in a paper or plastic bag for up to a week. If you buy precut florets, try to cook them within a day or two. Can’t cook it in time? Cut the cauliflower into florets, blanch, and store in the freezer.

Prep

Just before you start to cook, rinse the cauliflower under cold water and remove the green leaves, which are edible. Use a cleaver or a large knife to cut the florets right at the base of the stalk, which you can discard. If needed, break or cut larger florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Cook

The key to success is in the timing. Cauliflower is high in sulfur-rich phytonutrients, which does a body good but smells bad. So don’t overcook cauliflower, especially when stir-frying. Also, cauliflower tends to turn brown in metal cookware, so add a little lemon juice to prevent this from happening. Try raw cauliflower for a healthy and satisfying snack that’s low in calories and high in dietary fiber. Simply help yourself to a few florets with Hidden Valley^® Ranch dressing while you’re making dinner. Your kids will love it, too.

Cauliflower Recipes

A versatile veggie that’s easy to work with, cauliflower tastes great whether it’s raw, cooked, pureed, or pickled. Experiment with different colors and cooking techniques to liven up any snack, lunch, or dinner.

• 

  Crunchy Vegetable Make Ahead Salad

  Serve this classic Italian home-style grab-and-go treat.

  View recipe

• 

  Turkey, Cauliflower & Brown Rice Salad

  Something new for breakfast or brunch.

  View recipe

• 

  Ranch Style Mocked Mash Potatoes

  Packed with delicious flavors.

  View recipe

• 

  Make A Pickle

  Simple to assemble.

  View recipe

The cauliflower conundrum