Photos by Joni RentzCauliflower, Brassica Oleracea Botrytis, is the new “it” vegetable making its way onto most restaurant menus this season, ranking right up there with the long favorited brussel sprout. Extremely nutritious, low in fat, low in carbohydrates, high in dietary fiber and vitamin C and it even contains sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound that’s released when the cauliflower is chopped or chewed. Wow. And lucky for us it’s a staple, grown here on the North Fork. It even has it’s own association, The Long Island Cauliflower Association, formed by a group of Long Island farmers back in 1901, and still going strong.
‘Tis the season, so here’s a helpful primer for picking, storing and cooking the perfect cauliflower. Look for one that’s clean, creamy white and where the bud clusters are tightly packed. Find ones that are still surrounded by their thick green leaves, they’ll be the freshest. And when storing, store it up to a week with the stem side down to prevent moisture developing in the floret clusters. We like ours pickled, roasted or raw. Here are some recipes from the New York Times to get you inspired.