Tough Times Call for the Tried, Tested and Tasty

Right, the market has been raided, the fridge is now full, the freezer is wedged shut and my purse strings are a little worse for wear again

Tough times call for the super savvy to deliver optimal satisfaction at the high end of the delicious and trendy scale... let the cauliflower take centre stage.

Eighties revival of Cauliflower Shepherd’s Pie

You will need:  a casserole dish, a frying pan, a chopping board, a sharp knife, can opener, a whisk, a mixing bowl and a mixing spoon.

ü  1 large cauliflower

ü  1 lb lean ground beef

ü  1/2 onion, chopped

ü  4 cups of frozen vegetables (green beans, broccoli, carrots)

ü  3 eggs

ü  1/2 can of tomato sauce

ü  1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

ü  2 tbsp garlic

ü  1 tsp cayenne pepper

ü  4 tbsp real butter

ü  Handful of fresh chives chopped

 Revival of the fittest:

Brown ground beef in a pan with onion, garlic and cayenne pepper. Simply add the portion of tomato sauce. Once mixed together, place 1/2 of mixture in bottom of casserole dish. Layer into the casserole dish the opened can of vegetables and the rest of beef mixture. Whisk 3 eggs and pour on top. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and chives evenly over the dish. Microwave the cauliflower for 10 minutes in a small amount of water. Puree with butter and pour on top of casserole. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. For added zest splash a little Worchester sauce into the portion of tomato sauce and mix thoroughly with beef. Serve up and enjoy some seriously scrumptious shepherd’s pie! A tasty accompaniment: a glass of Bordeaux, or Cabernet Sauvignon.

One clever cook creates a great cauliflower kick

Cauliflower Risotto (risotto ai cavolfiori). For the ultimate bees knees of cauliflower with cheese you will need: a grater, a frying pan, a pot, a knife, a chopping board, a mixing spoon and a flair for the Italian and or Jamie Oliver.

ü  1 cauliflower

ü  2 handfuls of grated stale bread

ü  1 small tin of anchovies, oil from tin reserved

ü  3 small dried red chilies

ü  extra virgin olive oil

ü  1 x risotto bianco

ü  a decent handful of chopped fresh parsley

ü   sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

ü   grated Parmesan cheese

Grate the bread and mix together well with the anchovies, the oil from the tin and the chopped chilies. Fry the flavoured breadcrumbs, stirring and tossing constantly until golden brown. Prepare the cauliflower by trimming the coarse leaves and cutting out the stalk. Finely chop the inner part of the stalk. Add the chopped cauliflower stalks to the risotto bianco with the onion and add the cauliflower florets to your pan of hot stock. Add the stock bit by bit until the rice is half cooked. Once the cauliflower florets soften, start adding them to the risotto with the stock, crushing them into the rice as you go. Continue to do this until the rice is cooked and all the cauliflower has been added.  Combine the butter and Parmesan, and stir in to season. Sprinkle the anchovy mixture and, grate some more Parmesan over the top and serve. Instantly and intentionally delicious! Suggested accompaniment: goes well with a glass of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.

Simple, sensational and served on the side..

Chunk Up & Chow Down

Cauliflower, pure and simple, chunked up into large florets piled onto a steaming rack along with a selection of other vegetables, like wedges of onion, red cabbage, potatoes, and florets of broccoli, sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese with a light seasoning of salt and pepper and once cooked drizzle a little wine vinegar and soy sauce on top to taste.  The result is a light, full flavoured and colourful creation that makes for a very impressive side dish. Particularly well paired with a variety of ethnic dishes and always served best with a glass of Riesling, or Pinot Blanc.

Chillified or Chillifried!

To create decent batter, mix 2 tbsp rice flour, with water, oil and season with red chilli powder and salt to taste. Add 1 diced cauliflower to this paste, mixing well and deep frying the florets. Once done, keep them separately to one side. Lightly fry 3/4 curry leaves adding in 2 chopped green chillies and 3tsp of curd. Add the cauliflower and mix thoroughly together. Serve alongside Indian inspired dishes, simply sublime with a glass of Riesling, or Pinot Blanc.