Now Appearing: The Winter White Vegetable

About author / Amy Powell

World traveler; gourmet 30 minute meals; lover of exotic ingredients; winner on FoodTV's Chefs vs City; graduate French Culinary Institute. Her recipes will tantalize your taste buds.

In the world of under-appreciated vegetables, the lowly cauliflower must be somewhere near the top of the list (or would it be 'the bottom?'). In all honesty, its poor ranking can hardly be avoided. No doubt years of re-heated frozen vegetable medleys and over-boiled versions of the fresh variety left many adults with memories of the vegetable that are as bland as the cauliflower itself. But I can only hope that these empty childhood memories have not left people scarred for life. For there is hope for this dear flower yet.

There is something truly intriguing about the fresh cauliflower outside of the constraints of a suffocating plastic wrapper. Around here, at its most abundant, piles of the vegetable form small white and green mountains at the farmers' stands. Up close, tightly packed clusters of dense winter white bulbs look almost alien. But there's an appeal, a certain beauty to them, framed as they are by a collar of vibrant green leaves attached to the base of the stock. Just to look at this strangely pretty vegetable in its natural state is enough to make me forget the sins of its past. Immediately I know I must take one home and find for it a recipe that does it justice as the star of the meal.

Despite that its prime growing season is fall to winter, I have had many lovely summer meals that include cauliflower, often in a raw state. With its florets removed from the stalk and broken up into tiny versions of itself, the uncooked cauliflower is a fine addition to a generic crudite platter. Marinated in acidic dressing, the raw cauliflower softens slightly but retains its distinct crunch as it picks up the flavors of the dressing.

Although I enjoy the raw cauliflower, the natural sweetness of the cooked version is what truly stimulates my culinary imagination. Spears of cauliflower roasted with olive oil and seasoning bring out the natural sugars to form a delicious side dish of sublime vegetable caramelization. But it's 'lightly steamed in a nearly whole state' where I find the centerpiece for my winter white vegetable supper. By steaming it, the flavors are released but not lost, the nutrients are at their peak, and you can let it retain its original natural beauty as a stunning dish to gather around at the winter table. And few things could be a more refreshingly light dinner option at a time of year when we tend to pack on the pounds for a few months of winter hibernation.

I first ate what I remember as Portuguese Cauliflower at the home of some Belgian friends. A decidedly carnivorous family, this was a rare time where all hailed the vegetable in the form of a steamed head of cauliflower topped with a garlicky shallot butter sauce. Some chopped hard boiled eggs and a sprinkling of parsley made this enough for a complete meal. But if one insists, a plate of sautéed peppers and garlic will make a fine second fiddle.

My version of Portuguese cauliflower needs little more than a loaf of crusty bread for a healthy, gorgeous, and simple winter white vegetable supper. This meal finally gives the cauliflower the stage in a leading role. Maybe this year it will find its proper place amongst our most respected and delicious vegetables.

Serves/Makes: 6

• 1 head cauliflower
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 large shallots
• 6 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 handful parsley, finely chopped