Don’t overlook cauliflower

Cat Campbell/For The Madera Tribune

A big jar of refrigerated, crispy pickled cauliflower and carrots is an irresistible snack.

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Okay, it’s pale (except for some of the newer, more exotic colors) and depending on how it is cooked, can be rather blah in flavor. But cauliflower can be surprisingly tasty and versatile if you give it a chance.

Every New Year’s Day, my family uses cauliflower in our traditional feast of bagna cauda (pronounced like BAHnya CAULDah). We cook minced or crushed fresh garlic and canned, salted anchovy fillets in a lot of olive oil, then the mixture is eaten fondue-style, with fresh veggies such as mushrooms, celery, apples, cabbage (savoy, if you can find it), cauliflower and quite often, strips of lean sirloin steak. Many people also include bell peppers, but I usually leave them out. Eaten with slices of French or Italian bread and washed down with some wine, it all makes for a great meal.

At this writing, which was on New Year’s Day, it’s what’s on the menu. But this column isn’t about bagna cauda, it’s about cauliflower, so let’s get back on track with some recipes that feature that tasty vegetable.