What is it like? Sprouting white cauliflower has a mild savory pungent flavor a little like broccoli and a firm texture between broccoli and potato. It is delicious eaten raw, roasted, or chopped up and added to stir-fried vegetables. Sprouted or flowering cauliflower can be found at farmers markets but doesn’t usually show up at major grocery store chains. The buds can bruise easily and the shelf life is shorter than a larger head – plan to use sprouted cauliflower within 2 days for best color and firm texture.
How do I tell if it is still good? A common question about cauliflower is ‘what are the little brown spots? is it bad?’ Small brown spots aren’t a problem and may be bruises. They do mean that you should use it soon though. The bruised areas will break down more quickly. Cauliflower can have a strong pungent aroma like other cruciferous veggies like broccoli and be in fine condition to eat. If your cauliflower is going bad it will start to be mushy, slimey, fairly discolored, or have visible mold- it is time to toss if you see these things.
Recipe: Oven Roasted Sprouted Cauliflower
Equipment:
- Oven, preheated to 400F
- Pan for roasting in the oven
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of sprouted cauliflower
- 1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Any ground spices you like including coriander, ginger, curry powder blends, garlic, etc.
Instructions:
- Wash cauliflower either by running under water or submerging in a bowl.
- Shake off the water or leave a few minutes to drip
- Trim cut ends of stems if tough or dry
- add 1-2 tbs of oil to the cauliflower on your roast pan, sprinkle salt, pepper, and any optional spices.
- Spread cauliflower in a single layer on the pan.
- Roast 7 minutes, then check to see if the cauliflower is golden in spots and if the stems turned from bright green to a slightly more cooked green look. If they aren’t quite done check every 2 minutes.
Serving suggestion: Eat with rice and roasted chickpeas or meat
Store any leftovers in the fridge and reheat to serve. Use in 1-3 days.
