Unusual vegetables like orange cauliflower
If, walking through the stalls of the fruit and vegetable market in your neighborhood, you suddenly find yourself kidnapped by one stall that appears to sell products that come from an "alien farm", do not worry.
Most of the time it is because you have come across a stand that sells less commercial vegetables, which often attract the eye for their bright colors, slightly funny shapes and curious varieties.
What we are telling today is the story of one of these so unique vegetables: like purple potatoes, yellow tomatoes, spaghetti-pumpkins, milky white aubergines or purple broccoli, here is the orange cauliflower.
The taste of orange "Cheddar" cauliflower
Known in Anglo-Saxon countries as "Cheddar cauliflower", this orange-colored cauliflower, however, has nothing to do with the flavor of the well-known cheese and only shares its color.
With shades ranging from intense cream to coral, to sunburnt orange, this vegetable is truly unique: its color owes it to beta carotene in excess stored between its inflorescences, which also gives it a good 25% vitamin A more than the more common white variety.
Compared to the latter it also has a slightly more taste sweet and fuller and it can be used very well in many recipes that include cauliflower, such as cauliflower and potato puree, cauliflower soup, cauliflower with spring onions.
A very funny dish can also be the simple side dish of trio of cauliflowers steamed: white cauliflower, orange cauliflower and purple or pink cauliflower.
Read also To each cauliflower its properties >>
History and recipe of a special cauliflower
Discovered not without great amazement in Canada, by a farmer in 1970, was immediately shipped to Cornell University, where agronomic scientists crossed it with white varieties to create the vegetable available on the market today.
This beautiful, good and healthy vegetable is part of the Brassicaceae family - the same as the Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage - it is easily found during the autumn months, at stalls, greengrocers and the most well-stocked supermarkets.
Here is a simple but delicious recipe. To learn more about the history of this strange cauliflower, you can browse the pages of the book "Against nature" by Beatrice Mautino, Dario Bressanini.
Baked croquettes of orange cauliflower
Ingredients for 10 croquettes
> 1 cauliflower;
> 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese;
> 2 eggs;
> chopped parsley;
> flour and breadcrumbs;
> extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper.
Preparation
Steam the cauliflower, then mash it with a potato masher and mix it with an egg, cheese, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and breadcrumbs. form balls.
Beat the other egg and pass the lightly floured balls, then pass them in the breadcrumbs.
Arrange on the oven plate, sprinkling with a drizzle of oil. Bake at 175 ° C for about 15-20 minutes, turning them once. Serve piping hot.
