Hi!!! If I just bought a fresh head of cauliflower and the stems look greenish, does that mean it is not ripe or edible?

3 Comments

sarah K. April 21, 2011
Sam1148, I've seen cauliflower as a sub for bulgur, too. I think it was the newest Moosewood cookbook. The called for processing it until it's tiny, but not sauteeing it after. Pretty sure it was in the "raw" section, though obviously it would also make tabbouli acceptable for people with proscriptions against grains as well. It's pretty yummy, but it gets soggy, since the cauliflower doesn't absorb the juice like bulgur does. I'm for trying it your way!

Sorry, I meant to say that I use the ones with green all the time. Even the stem.
 
Sam1148 April 20, 2011
Should be fine. It might have been cross pollinated with broccoli. Or you could have bought 'broco-flower' hybrid.

Here's my favorite application for cauliflower.

Cauliflower couscous.
Break it down, trim the Florette from the stems. Put in small batches in a mini-prep or larger batches in a full sized food processor.
Pulse to break it down to 'couscous' textures. (the green fresh bits would work with you there). Don't make mush!

Sautee that with olive oil, a touch of stock (or vegie, stock crystals) a touch of cumin, and water. Steam and only LIGHTLY cook it ..again; don't make it mushy. It should be crunchy.

Use as you would couscous. As a base for a tagine (lamb stew with lemon and veggies), or veggies, (Carrots, eggplant, mushrooms, onions) with lemon middle eastern seasonings.

 
betteirene April 20, 2011
Sometimes it's the variety of cauliflower, sometimes it's something in the soil or something the soil lacks, sometimes it's just nature, but green or greenish cauliflower is perfectly fine. There's not a thing wrong with it.
 
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