Cauliflower is having its 15 minutes in the sun, not that it has ever been in the shade in my kitchen. But it is a relief to find this pale, gently flavoured brassica on menus once again. As always, we never seem to do the ingredient du jour by halves, and in the past few weeks I have found cauli crisp in tempura batter; roasted with coriander, cumin and almonds; puréed; chargrilled within an inch of its life and, oh bliss, hidden under a blanket of classic Mornay sauce.
I have enjoyed it at home, too, baked with a coconut milk and garam masala sauce and in a calm soup with bright shards of pickled carrot and matchsticks of toasted salami.
In traditional dress, with oodles of properly made cheese sauce (for which read: slowly simmered over a low heat, seasoned with bay leaves and onion and cloves), the cauliflower is at its best when left in the oven slightly longer than of old, so the undulating sauce-covered surface becomes blackened and blistered here and there. A world away from the virginal versions I was taught at school.
The queen of the brassicas likes a good spicing (and curries rather well, as long as some yogurt or cream is involved) and seems more than comfortable in the presence of chillies and a sweet, earthy mix of spices, such as a mild garam masala. Turmeric works particularly well.
I should mention an almost raw version I made where the lightly steamed florets were cooled and tossed with soured cream and poppy seeds. I tucked slices of blood orange among the mounds of vegetable. White, orange, scarlet and steely blue, the salad was a joy to see, let alone eat, under a soft grey winter sky.
Roast spiced cauliflower
I sometimes cook the cauliflower whole. To ensure the head is cooked right the way through, hollow out the thickest part of the stem using a small knife, though it’s only necessary in the largest specimens.
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side
cauliflower 1, medium to large
groundnut oil 4 tbsp
fresh ginger 30g
green chillies 2
garlic 2 cloves
yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp
garam masala 3 tsp
ground turmeric 1 tsp
sea salt flakes a scant tsp
coconut milk 400ml
shelled pistachios 2 tbsp
coriander a handful of leaves
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Trim the cauliflower and cut it into large florets. (If you intend to cook it whole, hollow out the stem.) Steam or boil the florets for 7-10 minutes, until almost tender.
Pour the oil into a pan, not too deep, and large enough to take the cauliflower, with just enough room for you to get a spoon in to baste. Grate the ginger finely into the oil. Finely chop the chillies, discarding the seeds if you wish, then add to the pan. Peel, crush and add the garlic, then place over a moderate heat and let the spices and aromatics cook for a few minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the mustard seeds and continue cooking until the garlic has softened, then add the garam masala, turmeric and salt.
Pour the coconut milk into the spice mixture, stir well and season with a little ground black pepper. When it starts to bubble gently, turn off the heat, place the drained cauliflower in the dish then baste it with the coconut-spice mixture.
Bake the cauliflower, basting occasionally with the spiced sauce in the roasting tin, for 40-45 minutes. If it has caught a little on top, then all to the good. Chop the pistachios and the coriander, then scatter over the top as the cauliflower comes from the oven.
Cauliflower soup with pickled carrot and salami
I have added quick-pickled carrots to add crunch to the creamy depths of this soup. The snap of acidity brightens the whole dish. The addition of lightly cooked florets of romanesco provides a contrast to the velvety soup. I sometimes use the more usual white cauliflower instead.
Serves 4
carrots 150ml
white-wine vinegar 100ml
coriander seeds 2 tsp
black peppercorns 1 tsp
white peppercorns 1 tsp
cauliflower 1, medium
milk 500ml
bay leaves 2
romanesco cauliflower 1, small
salami 100g
olive oil 2 tbsp
butter 40g
Scrub the carrot and cut into long thin, matchstick pieces. I use the coarse grater attachment on the food processor for this. Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan, add the coriander seeds and peppercorns and bring to the boil, then stir in the carrots and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, tossing the carrots from the time to time.
Cut the cauliflower into large florets, then put in a medium-sized saucepan with the milk, bay and peppercorns. Bring the milk to the boil, then lower the heat and leave the cauliflower to simmer for 15 minutes or so, until tender to the point of a knife. The texture should be softer than you would like it as a side dish.
Break the romanesco cauliflower into florets. Cut the salami into short, pencil-thick pieces. Warm the oil and butter in a frying pan and add the salami, letting it sizzle over a low to moderate heat, then add the romanesco. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, until the romanesco is just tender and the salami golden brown.
Process the cauliflower and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, scatter with some of the pickled carrot, then add the fried romanesco and salami, trickling over some of the pan juices or a little fruity olive oil over the surface.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater