Italian Cauliflower

The mystery of growing perfectly formed, organic, backyard cauliflower is mystery no more….at least on this homestead.

Every year I set out a few cauliflower seedlings, give them compost, eggshells, water, etc. Usually the plants grow quite well and form a teeny, cream-colored head that goes to the sprouting stage right away. Even if I wait one extra day to give the heads a chance to grow bigger, it’s often too late. Ugly, unappetizing cauliflower….until this year.

I showed a picture before of our Italian broccoli growing in the garden. At the time it was small, but looked good. 

This is what I harvested yesterday, a week later than that first picture.

Of course the watery, cool summer could be responsible, but from now on this is the cauliflower I’ll plant every spring. I bought the seed from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, it’s called Purple of Sicily Cauliflower. The little, individual stems are slim and long, reminding me of broccoli growth pattern, but the taste is all cauliflower.

Here’s how we enjoy eating our cauliflower on the homestead.

To cook the cauliflower, just remove the center core and pop the cauliflower on your steamer basket, or cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.

Steam for 7 minutes, longer if you’re leaving the cauliflower whole.

The Baker Creek seed catalog mentioned that this particular cauliflower turns green when cooked….

that was not the case at all. Sure it changed color, but it did not turn green.

While the cauliflower is steaming prepare your cheese sauce:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 T butter
• 2 T flour
• 1/2 c (or more) grated cheese
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix the butter and flour in a small pan over medium heat and slowly add the milk. Stir constantly until it thickens. Add the cheese, sea salt and pepper and pour over the cauliflower.

Bon appetit!