vegetable side dish Archives | butter loves company

Just like Brussels sprouts took over the side dish scene in 2014, cauliflower is currently spreading across restaurant menus, Instagram feeds and food blogs like wildfire. You may want to get familiar with the white plant, as it is on the road to being the Jennifer Lawrence of veggies this year.

So what is cauliflower, exactly? People have called it the ‘albino broccoli,’ which, outside of being politically incorrect, is also just not true. While its stem and florets look similar to broccoli’s, cauliflower is its own vegetable within the plant species brassica oleracea, of which broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts are also a part. Judging from that list, it seems like brassica oleracea is having a moment.

Cauliflower has a soft, light flavor that is pleasant raw or amplified by roasting or seasoning. Its florets are dense and often used as a healthy starch substitute because of their similar texture to potatoes or rice when cooked. The veggie is low calorie (about 25 calories per cup, raw), low in carbs and also brings fiber, vitamin C and potassium to the table.

In other words, bring on the cauliflower!

There are countless ways to use it: in soups, as steaks, in tacos, as a side, roasted and dipped into deliciousness … Just to name a few. Here are ten recipes that are on my to-make list to get you started, brought to you by some of my favorite food sites:

Charred Cauliflower Quesadillas from The Smitten Kitchen — I’m a sucker for anything quesadilla’d, so this is a no brainer in mi casa. Also, Deb is a genius so this can’t be a flop.
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites from Huffington Post Food — Trying to replace buffalo chicken wings seems criminal, but if this works it is for realz a game changer.
Cauliflower Gratin from The Delicious Life (recipe originally from Thomas Keller) — Think healthier version of the decadent potato gratin you may have as a holiday side dish.
Ginger Fried Cauliflower Rice from A Cozy Kitchen — Adrianna makes a healthy, spicy fried “rice” and tops with a fried egg. Bingo.
Cauliflower Steaks with Olive Relish and Tomato Sauce from Bon Appetit via Epicurous – Keep it thick, caramelize it and make it the star of meatless Monday.
Cauliflower Chowder from Damn Delicious — The cauliflower replaces potatoes in this healthier version of the creamy classic (still topped with bacon bits because we’re only human).
Spaghetti with Cauliflower Walnut Pesto from Mario Batali — Cauliflower and anchovy filets combine in this twist on a traditional pesto. Pst … don’t tell anchovy haters that they’re in the sauce. Based on experience with anchovy walnut sauces, I bet you they won’t even be able to tell and they will LOVE it.
Curried Cauliflower Soup from Cookie and Kate — Roasted cauliflower, coconut milk, Thai red curry and white wine. Um, where do I sign up?
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar Beer Sauce from Joy the Baker — “I literally can’t even.”
Bar Tartine Cauliflower Salad from 101 Cookbooks — Spicy, chunky, creamy, sweet, tangy … this salad from the San Francisco restaurant sounds like it has it ALL.

Ready. Set. Cook. And, report back! 😉

Prepare yourself. My cuisinerd level is about to rise.

I recently came to the realization that I read cookbooks like most people read novels. I’ll grab a cookbook and read it cover to cover in one sitting, hanging onto every word, every ingredient, every step of every recipe—from the prologue to the epilogue. But, give me the latest New York Times best selling novel? I’ll make it ¾ of the way through, and that’s if I think it’s really good. I’d never make it in a traditional book club. When it came to talk about the last few chapters, I would suddenly have to fake receive a phone call and sneak out the back door.

My latest read was earlier this week after I made the Asian Quinoa Salad. The health bug bit me and I picked up the latest from Giada de Laurentiis, Feel Good Food. After a few pages, I knew this would be a staple on my cookbook shelf for all times when I’m craving something light and healthy that doesn’t taste like birdseed.

Giada developed this Brown and Wild Rice with Brussel Sprouts recipe as a vegetarian, gluten free stuffing for a Thanksgiving meal, but says she started making it more regularly after loving the nutty combination of the brown and wild rice. Because I love mushrooms and brussel sprouts so much, I up’d the amount I added of each (reflected in the below recipe). This would make a nice side dish at a dinner party, or an easy weekday lunch or dinner.

brown and wild rice with mushrooms and brussel sprouts

Recipe Type: dinner, vegetarian, side

Author: adapted from Giada de Laurentiis Feed Good Food

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you would like to keep the dish vegetarian)
¼ cup water
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
¾ cup short-grain brown rice
¾ cup wild rice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 large portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups brussel sprouts, sliced in half if small and quarters if large
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Instructions

For the rice: In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the broth, ¼ cup water, and the thyme to a boil. Add the brown rice and wild rice. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat and simmer until the rice is tender but still chewy, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
For the vegetables: Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the brussel sprouts and cook until tender, about 5-8 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to the saucepan of cooked rice. Add hazelnuts if desired. Toss until all the ingredients are mixed. Serve warm or at room temperature.