CAULIFLOWER
Cauliflower belongs to cruciferous family of vegetables, which also includes broccoli and cabbage, and the big difference is quite conspicuous - the color. Cauliflower is white (the part that we eat that is) because the flesh, or florets, are protected from the sunlight by large leaves that coat this vegetable. These white florets have therefore a very unique flavor, a kind of sweet and nutty taste, and are good for eating as whole (both raw and cooked) and for example when pureed. This unique flavor and color goes quite well with e.g. scallops that are also sweet and little nutty. To prepare the florets it's just a simple matter of cutting or tearing them away from the stalk and cooking them in boiling water until they lose most of the crunchiness but still have some resistance (just like other vegetables should be cooked).
Cauliflower is in season during the cold months of the year, and at its best between December and March.
Cauliflower originally comes from some form of wild cabbage, and obviously it had to pass through a series of changes to obtain the present shape and taste. It appeared in Europe around 600 B.C. or perhaps even earlier, and spread to other countries quite late since it did not appear to have been so popular until much later in history.
Nutrition in brief: a huge source of vitamin C, as you cover your daily need by eating just 140 g/5 oz of it. It also has a wide variety of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, B vitamins, manganese and potassium. Being a vegetable, it is also a good, although not fantastic, source of dietary fibers. Cauliflower, as well as other members of the cruciferous family, are known for containing sulfuric compounds that help the liver's detoxification mechanisms; also cancer preventing molecules have been found in this vegetable family.
When you buy cauliflower, make sure the vegetable feels firm in the florets, and that the leaves are also firm and not wilted. Any signs of mould or strange smell, or wet slimy surfaces are of course bad indications. The florets should be well developed, and not discolored, but bear in mind that some forms of cauliflower may look purple. You can keep your cauliflower in the refrigerator for a week, although you should consume it as soon as possible for the sake of flavor that slowly fades away. When you store it, also make sure that it doesn't become moist.
Just a note on cooking. It was mentioned earlier that cauliflower contains sulfuric compounds. It is so that if you cook cauliflower for too long time, these compounds will become quite smelly and frankly, then the cauliflower is excessively overcooked. Cook it quickly and the problem will be gone. Also bear in mind that some chemicals in cauliflower reacts with iron and may discolor your dish.
Cauliflower is fantastic with butter sauces, cheese, garlic, and simple herbs like parsley or chives. It can be used for purées and maybe in soufflés, and you can not only boil it but bake it, sauté it, or eat it raw in salads. A very versatile and tasty vegetable this is!
From a health point of view, people with gout may want to abstain from eating cauliflower. It contains a substantial amount of compounds called purines, which our bodies break down into uric acid. Then, uric acid is worsening or triggering the gout condition. Also kidney stones may fare bad from too much purine exposure.