If you sometimes find it difficult to choose between cauliflower and broccoli, you should know that the broccoli (also known as green cauliflower) is the solution for people like you. Since this food, which can be perfectly enjoyed raw, combines all the traits of cauliflower with the characteristic greenness of broccoli.
A color that, it must be said, fades quite a bit after cooking of the product. So if you want to post your latest culinary find on Instagram, do it raw. But let’s focus on the important things!
Green cauliflower? Really?
The first thing you should be clear about is that, unlike what you can read out there, green cauliflower (or broccoflower) it is not the same as romanesco, that alien version of cauliflower that arouses so much curiosity due to its appearance. Although they are very similar in essence.
Green cauliflower”Verde di Macerata” – seed
That said, it should be noted that this cauliflower is a variety of the species Brassica oleraceawhich you can place in the Botrytis Group of the family Brassicaceae. It reproduces by seeds and is at its best between the months of September and January in the northern hemisphere, although the truth is that it is available throughout the year.
The reason why green cauliflower acquires such a hypnotizing color is because it is left in the sun, as simple as that. It is what causes chlorophyll to be produced. In the same way that purple has this color due to its anthocyanin content.
Something to keep in mind when buying green cauliflower is that, you have to make sure that they are tight and without dark spots, since both clues indicate that the cauliflowers are a bit past. And you will notice that when cooking them and, of course, tasting them.
And that’s all you need to know about this product that arrived in Spain in the eighteenth century although in France it could already be found in the 16th century. Another curiosity related to cauliflower has to do with its use, since formerly it was not used for eatingbut as a medicinal remedy to combat headaches and stomach disorders.
17 recipes with green cauliflower
As you may have already guessed, the recipes you can prepare with this variant of cauliflower are exactly the same as you would with a traditional cauliflower. Bearing in mind, yes, that the flavor of the green one is somewhat more intense than the white one. But we are talking about something almost imperceptible, so take note of some highly recommended and healthy preparations with cauliflower as the protagonist.
To begin with, let’s go with one of those classics that never go out of style. A cauliflower recipe that transports many to their childhood because it is quite common for the little ones in the house to become friends with this food thanks to recipes like the one we bring you below. If not, there is no way.
It is very simple, in fact the only thing you have to be a little careful with is the green cauliflower doneness, because if you overdo it, it will be mushy and soaked in water. And if you fall short, it will be hard. So put your phone aside and focus!
We start by preparing Bechamel sauce, to have it ready when the cauliflower is cooked and we can finish the dish directly. To do this, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. We remove to integrate and we cook lightlybut without getting to take color.
Then add the milk, little by little. Cook for 15 minutes while we remove without stopping with some rods to get rid of the lumps that may form. Season to taste and reserve.
We clean the cauliflower, removing the green leaves and the trunk that joins the florets or small trees (which we save to prepare, for example, a cream). Cut the florets into pieces of the same size and place them in a saucepan with plenty of boiling water.
Add a pinch of salt and cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes. It has to be slightly hard because it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain well, so that there are no traces of water, and distribute in oven-safe pans, on a thin layer of bechamel.
Cover each casserole with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Place in the oven, preheated to 220ºC with heat up and down, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the surface is golden. We serve immediately.
Full recipe | Green cauliflower with bechamel sauce
As we know that you will want to make more recipes with this important source of fiber which contains vitamin C and several from group B (thiamin, riboflavin and B6), here we leave you another 16 recipes that you should keep safe.
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