To be honest with you, not much cooking has been happening this week. You must ask, "Then what in the world kept you so busy?" Since the weather was nice all week, we ended up being outside for the most part. It's amazing how much of your time can be consumed by a 21-month old and a 4-year old. Also, the weekend was eventful and we BBQ'd with some friends over. There was so much leftover that I still have some pesto left in my fridge. Today, that will change…
We all know cauliflower is not a very popular vegetable and there are not many recipes that are dedicated to this ignored veggie. I must admit that I never loved it myself but - trust me - give this beauty a chance and it will become your spring/summer must-ingredient!
One recipe is to have cauliflower as a salad. This recipe is not exactly a Persian recipe as I know, but many Persians whom I know have made different variation of this. The following recipe is what I have been making for the past few years and it’s been a hit among both Persians and non-Persians.
Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower washed and cut in small florets
1-14 oz can of Hearts of Palm drained well and sliced ¼ inch thick circles
2 endives washed and sliced
½ bunch of cilantro washed and chopped
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of either white or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
(I have only eye-balled these measurements! The amount of the vinegar and salt depends on your taste – the longer this salad sits, the more it absorbs the flavors.)
In a salad bowl combine all the ingredients, except the cilantro. Add the cilantro at the very last minute on top of the salad so that it won’t lose its shape and become wilty.
Another great recipe for cauliflower is to mix it with yogurt and whatever fresh herbs you can get your hands on! I am telling you this is one recipe you will keep making in summer time. It is great as a snack with chips; it can be a great light lunch; it can also be a perfect appetizer/side dish/dip for your summer BBQs. You can even treat it as a cold summer soup!
Herbed Yogurt with Cauliflower
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups of cauliflower florets
1-32 oz tub of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
¼ teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. My suggestion is to start with your favorite herbs with one tablespoon at a time. You can always add more as you go! The herbs that I mentioned are the ones that I either have in my garden or fridge; however, you can modify to your own taste.
Herbed Yogurt with Cauliflower
Hope these two recipes make up for my lack of blogging this past week.... Have a fabulous day!
