Two Ways with Cauliflower - Cooks Illustrated

Published March 1, 1998.

Steaming brings out the fresh, sweet flavors, while browning and braising intensify the nutty taste.

The Problem

The unpleasant smell of overcooked cauliflower is enough for any cook to put this vegetable aside--permanently.

The Goal

If cooked properly, cauliflower can in fact be downright pleasant tasting--sweet and nutty. We wanted to find out which cooking methods would bring out the best in cauliflower instead of the worst.

The Solution

Our testing led us to two excellent techniques for cooking cauliflower. The first is steaming (not boiling, which causes the cauliflower to taste watery, and not microwaving, which doesn't cook the cauliflower evenly). When cauliflower is steamed, the time to add flavorings is after it's been cooked. For the second technique we liked, a brief sauté to brown followed by a braise, the time to add flavorings is during cooking. Cauliflower is quite porous, which makes it good at absorbing the flavors that surround it. The sauté/braise technique takes advantage of this.

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