bloemkool – Cook and Drink

Cauliflower with Mint and Cilantro

3 August 2023

Dutch cuisine and cauliflower? Nice, but not sensational. Normally the cauliflower will be broken into florets, cooked in water (and in the old days this meant cooking until the cauliflower was more than well done), drained and served with a béchamel sauce and nutmeg. That is, if you’re lucky, it can also be a thin sauce made with the cooking liquid and corn starch.
A pity because cauliflower is such a delicious and versatile vegetable. As curry, korma, gratin, casserole (with potatoes, thyme and garlic), in a pickled sauce, as vada (a snack from South-India), steamed or fried, all very yummy!
We combine our cauliflower with grilled lamb chops and a mint and cilantro sauce. Lots of flavours, colours and aromas!

Wine Pairing

Given the various spices we would suggest a white wine or a rosé. A glass of Verdejo will be a great choice if you decide to drink a glass of white wine. We opened a bottle of Monteabellón Rueda. The wine comes with the right acidity, bringing freshness to the dish. It has floral aromas typical for the Verdejo grape. You may recognize the aromas of banana and exotic fruit. A glass of Provence rosé will also be nice. Or our favorite rosé: Chiaretto di Bardolino, produced by Monte del Frà from Italy.

What You Need (Cauliflower)

One small Cauliflower
Turmeric
Fresh ginger
Garam Marsala
Red Onion
One clove of Garlic
Fresh Cilantro (optional)
Olive Oil

What You Do (Cauliflower)

Clean the cauliflower and break into florets. Peel and slice the fresh ginger, match size. Peel and slice the onion (rings). Chop the garlic. Add olive oil to the pan and fry the turmeric (curcuma) and the garam marsala on medium heat. After a few minutes add the florets. Make sure the florets are nicely coated with the spices. Now add the fresh ginger and the garlic. Reduce the heat somewhat. A few minutes begore serving add the sliced onion. You could add some cilantro, to bring the cauliflower and the sauce together.

What You Need (Sauce)

Three Mint Leaves
Lots of Cilantro
Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
One clove of Garlic
Ginger
½ Green Chili Pepper (depending on the taste)
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Black Pepper

What You Do (Sauce)

Crush the cumin seeds in a mortar. Chop the garlic, some ginger and the green chili pepper. Combine everything and use a blender to make a smooth paste. Add lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle some olive oil into the mixture and stir using a spoon. Happy with the consistency? Add black pepper and perhaps some extra lemon juice.

Cauliflower with Mint and Cilantro ©cadwu

Scallops with Cauliflower Purée

2 December 2020

Three very different ingredients make for an excellent starter. The combination of seared scallops with soft, fluffy cauliflower purée and crispy grilled pancetta offers lots of flavours. For instance a touch of sweetness thanks to the caramelised scallops and the cauliflower plus lovely saltiness thanks to the scallops and the pancetta.

The combination of these three is not new and many recipes have been published. Various ingredients are added, for instance basil, lemon, capers, an infused oil (with for instance curcuma and fennel), a vinaigrette, apple beignets et cetera. But why would you add something if the combination is already close to perfection? And not difficult to make!

Wine Pairing

Best to combine with a wine with long, fruity aromas. Given the complexity of the combination the wine should be fresh and light. A Chardonnay with just a touch of oak could also be interesting because it will combine very well the grilled pancetta and seared scallop.
We enjoyed our scallops with a glass of Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Rosé. A wine with an intense pink colour, aromas that made us think of strawberries and lemon and with a fruity, long taste with a hint of pepper.

What You Need

For the Seared Scallops
- 6 fresh Scallops (best if in their shell)
- Olive Oil
- White Pepper
For the Cauliflower Purée
- One Cauliflower
- Excellent Olive Oil
- Crème Fraîche
- White Pepper
For the Crispy Pancetta
- 6 slices of Pancettta

What You Do

Clean and steam (or cook) the cauliflower until nearly done. Using a blender combine the cauliflower and some olive oil. When smooth pass through a sieve. Add some crème fraîche and fresh white pepper. If you’re happy with the purée, keep it warm and ready. You could prepare the purée a day in advance. Clean the scallops. In parallel set your oven to grill. Transfer the pancetta to the grill. 4 minutes? Heat a non stick pan and fry the scallops quickly. Add a last drop of excellent olive oil to the purée, mix with a spoon and plate up. Perhaps some white pepper on the scallops.