The heads selected for cooking should be close, foam-
like, white, and as freslily-cut as may be. See also that
the leaves and flower are uninjured by caterpillars, for
when the leaves are attacked it is rarely that the flower
escapes the ravages of these horticultural marauders,
and when a stalk is bitten the flower at the end loses
much of its tenderness, juice, and flavour. Should it
be necessary to cut Cauliflowers faster than they are
required for use, they may be stored on the floor of a
coal-shed or cellar, in which protected and cool position
they will keep comparatively fresh for some days. The
long green leaves of the growing plant should be en-
couraged to protect the flower from the sun, for which
purpose some gardeners break the central rib of the
inner leaves so that the upper part of the leaves shall
fold down upon the flower, and thus preserve its white-
ness. When the flower opens in places and begins to
look greenish here and there, the quality is not so good
as those which are white and tightly close. Before
cooking, Cauliflower should be soaked in strongly-salted
water, which will get rid of any insects that may have
selected the sprays for a refuge; and in cooking it is
always advisable to slightly acidulate the water, for in
this way the whiteness is preserved. An epicure declares
that Cauliflower is in itself so good, that, cleanly and
sufficiently cooked, even in water only, it is delicious ;
but properly and daintily prepared, it is a dish for a
king. After deploring the ability of the English cook,
of whom he says : “ Les Anglais ne cuissent leurs legumes
qu’a l’eau, encore ne sont ils qu’a moitie cuits ” (The
English cook their vegetables in water only, therefore
they are but half cooked). The writer gives his idea
of how Cauliflowers should be cooked. The Cauliflower
must be par-boiled in water, and the stem cut off
sufficiently to allow of its being stood upright on the
dish. Having been thus cooked and neatly trimmed,
the Cauliflowers must be placed carefully in the stew-
pan, and simmered gently in the following sauce : 4
table-spoonfuls of butter well rubbed into 1 table-
spoonful of Bermuda arrowroot ; as the butter melts,
A pint of water must be stirred into it by degrees.
When the Cauliflower has been simmered in this gravy
Fig. 387. Mode of Serving Small Cauliflowers.
until perfectly tender it must be placed in the dish, and
kept hot while the well-beaten yolk of an egg and a
squeeze of lemon-juice are added to the sauce. Some
rasped Parmesan cheese must be strewed over the Cauli-
flower, and browned with a salamander or in front of a
clear fire. The sauce must be poured around, or, if
preferred, the Cauliflower may be dished on toast, and
the sauce poured over, and serve quite hot. Cauliflower
Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads.
320
THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.
Cauliflowers — continued.
may also be served with a variety of other sauces, and
is prepared in many ways, either as a vegetable, pickle,
or for garnish, as the accompanying large variety of
receipts will testify. Small Cauliflowers look well piled
on a folded napkin (see Fig. 3S7). ✪ Boiled Cauliflower
Page 191 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The heads selected for cooking should be close, foamlike, white, and as freshly-cut as may be. See also that the leaves and flower are uninjured by caterpillars, for when the leaves are attacked it is rarely that the flower escapes the ravages of these horticultural marauders, and when a stalk is bitten the flower at the end loses much of its tenderness, juice, and flavour. Should it be necessary to cut Cauliflowers faster than they are required for use, they may be stored on the floor of a coal-shed or cellar, in which protected and cool position they will keep comparatively fresh for some days. The long green leaves of the growing plant should be encouraged to protect the flower from the sun, for which purpose some gardeners break the central rib of the inner leaves so that the upper part of the leaves shall fold down upon the flower, and thus preserve its whiteness. When the flower opens in places and begins to look greenish here and there, the quality is not so good as those which are white and tightly close. Before cooking, Cauliflower should be soaked in strongly-salted water, which will get rid of any insects that may have selected the sprays for a refuge; and in cooking it is always advisable to slightly acidulate the water, for in this way the whiteness is preserved. An epicure declares that Cauliflower is in itself so good, that, cleanly and sufficiently cooked, even in water only, it is delicious ; but properly and daintily prepared, it is a dish for a king. After deploring the ability of the English cook, of whom he says : “ Les Anglais ne cuissent leurs legumes qu’a l’eau, encore ne sont ils qu’a moitie cuits ” (The English cook their vegetables in water only, therefore they are but half cooked). The writer gives his idea of how Cauliflowers should be cooked. The Cauliflower must be par-boiled in water, and the stem cut off sufficiently to allow of its being stood upright on the dish. Having been thus cooked and neatly trimmed, the Cauliflowers must be placed carefully in the stewpan, and simmered gently in the following sauce : 4 table-spoonfuls of butter well rubbed into 1 tablespoonful of Bermuda arrowroot ; as the butter melts, A pint of water must be stirred into it by degrees. When the Cauliflower has been simmered in this gravy
Fig. 387. Mode of Serving Small Cauliflowers.
until perfectly tender it must be placed in the dish, and kept hot while the well-beaten yolk of an egg and a squeeze of lemon-juice are added to the sauce. Some rasped Parmesan cheese must be strewed over the Cauliflower, and browned with a salamander or in front of a clear fire. The sauce must be poured around, or, if preferred, the Cauliflower may be dished on toast, and the sauce poured over, and serve quite hot. Cauliflower
Sauces, etc., referred to, see under their special heads.
Cauliflowers — continued.
may also be served with a variety of other sauces, and is prepared in many ways, either as a vegetable, pickle, or for garnish, as the accompanying large variety of receipts will testify. Small Cauliflowers look well piled on a folded napkin (see Fig. 3S7).
Records on this page
Boiled Cauliflower