Saturday, September 13, 2008

Freezer Bank: Cauliflower

We have so many vegetables in our supermarkets in the States; yet visiting our son in London years ago I went to the Bangladeshi area and saw a fresh abundance there like I have never seen. The owner's daughter who heard me remarking on every thing and my delight at the plethora said, "We get vegetables from 50 different countries by nine each morning!" When I don't know what to make and the freezer is empty I go to the supermarket looking for something that will incite me back to the kitchen.
I walked in once and saw Cauliflower so fresh that it looked like it had just been picked. It was a good day for the Diabetes too with my sugars and pain factors in abeyance...a gift of time to enjoy whatever I feel like doing.
HD (Hubby Dearest) was amazed when I came home with 4 giant cauliflowers and expounded on their freshness. That afternoon, exhausted with the morning's shopping, I took a nap to re-charge. That evening I put on my favorite show on television (work goes quickly with the Sound of Music), broke the cauliflower florets off with half inch stems, chopped up the big florets and some additional stems and started frying them.
It took two big skillets and two batches in each to get the work done.
When they were 3/4 done, I cooled them and put them into freezer baggies.
It helps me on days when I am not well to make a cauliflower dish in a jiffy. It's a shortcut to cooking and t helps me get the finest ingredients, preserve their quality by immediately cooking and freezing them...the main hallmark of good freezing.
The next day I was tired and took it easy, indulging the diabetics need for rest after my cauliflower marathon. The halo around my head was redolent of the smell of frying cauliflower.
I did this in the Spring and my supply of cauliflower lasted me all through the summer, when it was too hot for me to stand by the stove for more than 10-15 minutes a day.

TIPS FOR THE BEST FRIED CAULIFLOWER.

Wash florets well and drain.
Heat pan and put the cauliflower in...no oil at this stage.
Do NOT cover pan. Do NOT leave unattended as the cauliflower will scorch quickly.
As the water starts evaporating (all veggies retain some water though washed and drained)the cauliflower will start getting light brown. Turn so all sides get light brown evenly. When almost done (you will see the small stems attached to the florets change color), remove some at this stage and cool for curries.
To the rest, I add just enough olive oil to coat them. Toss lightly and they will brown beautifully...I take them out 3/4 done so I can finish cooking them when I make something with them.
Cool immediately and freeze in freezer baggies.

TIP: When I'm freezing a big batch, I use the inexpensive baggies for each amount then put the whole lot into very good Freezer bags and label them.
This way I can save on the Freezer bags too and CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP is a good tune playing in my head on the way to the Freezer.

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