Cooking cauliflower
Dramatic observation: cauliflower when cooked has a bad reputation ("it doesn't smell good!" and the like), and yet it's an excellent vegetable, very Breton, that deserves to be treated well, to give the best of itself.
8,162 3.3/5 (11 reviews)
Keywords for this post:CabbageCauliflowerCookingSmellFreshnessLast modified on: August 29th 2023
Cooking cauliflower
The main complaint is that it smells strong when cooked, and it's true that if you're not careful, you can smell around the house that you've cooked cauliflower!
Why this persistent smell? Because, as it cooks, cauliflower ends up developing sulphur compounds, which are unfortunately very odorous.
But this reaction and its odors only occur late in the cooking process, in other words, it's mainly the result of cooking too long. If you cook just long enough, you won't get any unpleasant odors.
These odors are also accentuated by the loss of freshness of cauliflower, i.e. the fresher it is, the less odorous it will be when cooked (for a short time).
1) Use the freshest cauliflower possible: the fresher it is, the less fragrant it will be. Don't leave it lying around in the refrigerator crisper. Cook it the same day, or the next day if possible.
2) Cook for as short a time as possible: When you prepare your cauliflower, cut it into small, even-sized pieces (they cook faster and more evenly).
If you're cooking "à l'anglaise" in boiling salted water, keep a close eye on the cooking process, and test it by sticking a knife blade into a piece of cauliflower. If it goes through easily, the cabbage is cooked, so take it out of the water immediately, and if you can't eat it straight away, refresh it under very cold water.
3) Even if you immediately think of cooking cauliflower in boiling salted water, this isn't the only possible method. Cauliflower can, for example, be cooked in milk, steamed or baked.
Oh yes, it's delicious raw too, so you can grate it to make an amazing cauliflower tabbouleh, or thinly slice it for salads or a crunchy cauliflower with lemon.
To sum up: to cook cauliflower optimally, use the freshest cauliflower possible, and cook it as short as possible.
Why this persistent smell? Because, as it cooks, cauliflower ends up developing sulphur compounds, which are unfortunately very odorous.
But this reaction and its odors only occur late in the cooking process, in other words, it's mainly the result of cooking too long. If you cook just long enough, you won't get any unpleasant odors.
These odors are also accentuated by the loss of freshness of cauliflower, i.e. the fresher it is, the less odorous it will be when cooked (for a short time).
What are the best ways to cook cauliflower?
1) Use the freshest cauliflower possible: the fresher it is, the less fragrant it will be. Don't leave it lying around in the refrigerator crisper. Cook it the same day, or the next day if possible.
2) Cook for as short a time as possible: When you prepare your cauliflower, cut it into small, even-sized pieces (they cook faster and more evenly).
If you're cooking "à l'anglaise" in boiling salted water, keep a close eye on the cooking process, and test it by sticking a knife blade into a piece of cauliflower. If it goes through easily, the cabbage is cooked, so take it out of the water immediately, and if you can't eat it straight away, refresh it under very cold water.
3) Even if you immediately think of cooking cauliflower in boiling salted water, this isn't the only possible method. Cauliflower can, for example, be cooked in milk, steamed or baked.
Is raw cauliflower possible?
Oh yes, it's delicious raw too, so you can grate it to make an amazing cauliflower tabbouleh, or thinly slice it for salads or a crunchy cauliflower with lemon.
To sum up: to cook cauliflower optimally, use the freshest cauliflower possible, and cook it as short as possible.
Lasts posts
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20248285
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...November 29th 20241,1045
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...November 21th 20241,2795
Your oven in "proofer" mode
In the bakery, proofing is a crucial stage in the process of making light, plump breads and pastries. During proofing, the yeast ferments the sugars present in the dough, releasing carbon dioxide which forms bubbles. This process allows the dough to swell and aerate, guaranteeing a soft, light...September 27th 20244,3385
The right size of zucchini
When you buy zucchini at the market, you're often offered a wide variety of sizes, from very small to very large. But which ones to choose? Here are a few tips.September 9th 20244,5265
Other pages you may also like
Is it really necessary to cream egg yolks?
Let’s try and answer a question that crops up in cookery and patisserie, even if it verges on the existential: do the egg yolks in a custard recipe really need to be beaten until pale, or not?February 28th 201839 K4.3
Stand mixer tools
Whether we call it a stand mixer, food processor, or simply refer to it by brand (Kenwood, KitchenAid, etc.), this machine is a valuable tool for amateur cooks, bakers or pastry chefs like ourselves. All these machines come supplied with 3 different tools. Let’s take a look at their names and...November 2nd 201933 K4.5
Don't throw away disposable piping bags
Nowadays, it's fairly easy to find what professionals use as piping bags, i.e. disposable or "single-use" plastic ones. They're practical, functional and inexpensive, but disposable? That's debatable...May 28th 20245,3405
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .February 7th 2017124 K 14.1
Egg yolks and caster sugar
We often come across recipes where we need to mix egg yolks with caster sugar. This would appear to be a very ordinary and simple thing to do but, be warned, these two ingredients can behave oddly together.February 15th 201875 K 24.3
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.