Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 28 November: Cajun Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese

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A friend asked me a few weeks ago to suggest some Primally-oriented foods he and his wife could serve at a football party they were hosting. He’s a child of the South, and like many of his brethren, exhibits a crazy devotion to college football rivaling any we’ve ever seen. (For matter of record, he’s from Alabama, and I’m sure has a Roll Tide tattoo somewhere out of everyday sight so as to not impact his law practice…)

One of the foods I suggested was this Cajun Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Crumbles. It’s certainly not a new concept in the Primal/Paleo world, though you don’t see many recipes with the Cajun spice twist. I happen to like this recipe as it’s a great introduction to those who don’t typically think about eating healthier snacks and sides, and packs the same great spice and flavor that classic buffalo wings do.

You certainly can serve this one as finger food, but we always seem to serve it up in a bowl…

One medium (2 to 3 lb) head cauliflower, leaves and stem trimmed
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp of your favorite Cajun spice mix

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of your favorite Cajun hot sauce (Zatarain’s or Crystal for us)
1/4 cup of your favorite Sriracha
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room-temp, in 1 tbsp pieces

1/2 cup (or more!) crumbled blue cheese

Fire the oven and preheat to 450.

Foil line a baking sheet, place the cauliflower in the center stem down, drizzle with the oil, then rub in the Cajun spice mix. Now roast for 30-35 minutes; it should become tender and begin to brown a bit. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

When cool enough to comfortably handle, trim the florets off the head; some suggest aiming for chicken-wing sized pieces, we tend to make pieces of all sizes and shapes. Don’t forget to trim the stem into thin-ish slices.

Now into a large saucepan over medium-high go the two sauces; when bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pan, whisk in the butter 2 tbsp at a time until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cauliflower pieces, and stirring often, heat for 4-5 minutes until the cauliflower is heated through.

We like to serve immediately in bowls and sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 5 September: Grilled Southwestern Cauliflower Steaks

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Even thought the calendar has turned to September, it’s still prime time grilling season for most of us around the country; if you’ve not tried grilling cauliflower, give these Grilled Southwestern Cauliflower Steaks a spin.

I know, I know, there are probably hundreds of recipes for grilled cauliflower floating around out there, but this is one of our favorites given the southwestern spice flavors.

This is another of those recipes that’s so ridiculously easy it’s almost child’s play (don’t tell anyone that) yet unique and tasty enough to serve when entertaining.

Don’t forget to save the cauliflower florets you trim away as you carve the “steaks”, the trim is perfect for a salad or stir fry. Some recipes out there call for microwaving the cauliflower for 2-3 minutes before grilling it, but we’ve never added that step and it turns out perfectly every time.

Inspired by several different recipes, include one from Serious Eats.

2 medium heads cauliflower, trimmed, cut as per below
3 tbsp EVOO or avocado oil

Spice rub
1 generous tbsp ground turmeric
2 tsp mild chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp good salt
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder

Garnish
2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
Pickled red onions

Mix the spice rub ingredients well, set aside.

Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower and slice off the root/base so the cauliflower can sit flat on your cutting board.

Slicing vertically, trim several inches off one side of a cauliflower head, then slice as many 3/4-inch thick slices as you can obtain from each head. You want the slices to more or less remain intact, with the peripheral florets still “connected” to the core/stalk so they’ll stay together on the grill. (Save the trimmed florets for a salad or stir fry…)

Brush the “steaks” with your oil of choice, dust/coat well with the spice mixture, and set aside at room temp while you fire the grill. (Alternatively, shake the oiled steaks one at a time in a large resealable bag with the spice mix.)

Grill over direct head for 3-4 minutes per side; you’re looking to develop a bit of char here without burning the spices. Then move to an indirect heat zone and cook until as tender as you’d like, we like these will a bit of residual crunch (somewhere between 13-15 minutes typically).

Best served hot/warm, and garnish with the chopped cilantro or parsley and maybe those pickled red onions…

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 1 August: Quick Pickled Beets (and Onions)

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Growing up in a fairly austere food-household in my younger years, I’m not sure at what point I developed a taste for pickled beets. One of my grandmothers was an avid gardner and she loved to “put up” all sorts of pickled goods; her cucumber pickles (fermented dills, sweets, as well as bread and butters) were great, as were her pickled okra and “dilly beans”.

She made her pickled beets in small, crinkle-cut cubes; they were over-sweetened by primal / paleo standards but fit the cuisine of the day in South Texas, but man, oh man, they were astoundingly good.

She liked to add a bit of red or sweet onion to her pickled beets, and we do too.

We like to mix it up a bit when making quick pickles out of various root vegetables (try radishes sometime) by varying the spices we add, hence the list of consider adding spices below. Try various combinations and find your (or your family’s) favorite(s), and by all means vary the vinegars as well. The recipe below is scaled for a single quart jar by the way.

With beets coming into the farmer’s markets now, it’s time to “put some up” as my grandmother used to say…

3-4 medium size beets, trimmed
1 small red onion, trimmed, peeled, thinly sliced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
or
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar + 1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp pickling salt

Water as needed

Consider adding
1 tbsp pickling spice mix
Cloves (1 or 2)
Allspice berries (2-4)
Peppercorns (3-6)
A cinnamon stick
Honey (1-2 tbsp)

Trim the beets, wash (scrub) them thoroughly, throw in a pot and cover with water; bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until they can be easily pierced with a fork or knife.

Remove the beets from the heat, drain and rinse with cold water; when cool enough to handle, slip off the skins, and slice into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices.

Start a pot over medium heat with the vinegar(s), bay leaf, salt, and whatever spices from the “consider adding” list you want to try. Stir the honey in if using. When boiling, turn off the heat and set aside.

While the vinegar mixture is heating up, take a sterilized one-quart canning jar and layer the sliced beets and onions in artfully, taking care to pack fairly tightly. When full, pour the just-boiled liquids over the beets, leaving about 1/2-inch headspace.

Leave on the counter to cool, then screw on the lid and into the fridge they go. The beets will be better a day or two down the road, but will be tasty within a few hours of setting them up. With appropriate cautions, they’re probably good for up to two weeks, but ours never last that long.

Enjoy.