Cauliflower

Vitamin C – it contains as much as an orange!

Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C — a raw portion contains almost as much vitamin C as half an orange. Only a small quantity of vitamin C is lost during cooking, meaning that even cooked cauliflower is still a good source of vitamin C.

Cauliflower is also:

• A source of vitamin B9 (cell renewal, which is very important for pregnant women for the development of the fetus, growing children, and people recovering from illness).
• A source of vitamin B5 (energy, cognitive performance, fatigue reduction, vitamin D synthesis)
• A source of iron (when cooked!)

This vegetable also contains

 

• potassium
• selenium
• iodine
• glucosinolates

 

, like all

rcuciferous vegetables

. They are

bioactive compounds

that can prevent certain types of cancer

Did you know? Cauliflower is the perfect combination of vitamins C and B9. A plate of cauliflower (200 g) provides practically the entire RDA of vitamins C and B9.

A tip for getting the most from this vegetable: consume raw or lightly cooked.

Vegetable patch
or urban balcony?

Cauliflower grows best in well-drained, rich, silty clay, with exposure to the sun.

To learn everything you need to know about growing cauliflower, read the page on growing advice.

How to prepare cauliflower:

Remove stems from florets. The florets are so tender that cooking requires careful attention. Steaming helps prevent it from going soggy.

Cooking instructions:

• 5 to 10 minutes: Steaming or in the microwav
• 10 to 15 minutes: In boiling water
• 10 minutes: In the wok
• 30 minutes: In the oven

Tip for preventing unpleasant odors: Add hard bread crust to the pressure cooker: it will absorb any unpleasant smells!

Did you know? You can eat cauliflower stems. If needed, peel and slice. They cook in the same amount of time as the head of the cauliflower.

Cauliflower goes well with:

Cauliflower can be used in many recipes, even raw.

Raw: florets can be enjoyed with dips. Cauliflower can also be used raw for a deliciously unusual take on tabbouleh (the florets are grated like parmesan). The dish can be served in summer with mint, tomatoes, and cucumber, and in winter with apples, raisins, and rocket.

Cooked: cauliflower goes well with everything! It goes well in many recipes in many forms: in a gratin with béchamel sauce and melted cheese, of course, but also in thick soup, vinegary salad (even cooked!), in a flan, mousse, and terrine with fromage frais. It also goes very well with shellfish, crab, and surimi.

Can everyone
eat it?

Young children

Along with broccoli, cauliflower is probably the cruciferous vegetable most palatable for children. Cauliflower can be eaten from the age of six months as a purée or in soup. For older children who don’t like it that much, add to mashed potato, flan, mousse, or terrine.

And everyone else

To make it easier to digest for older people or those with digestive issues, cauliflower should be cooked for five minutes in salted boiling water and drained before preparing. You can then use it however you wish.

See plenty of other tips for encouraging children to eat vegetables