Steaming is one of the simplest and most nutritious ways to cook vegetables. It is an especially good method to capture the delicate flavors of tender young vegetables such as turnips and turnip greens, carrots and carrot tops, peas and pea shoots, green beans, cauliflower, beets, and spinach. After cooking, the vegetables can be seasoned lightly with salt and perhaps a squeeze of lemon juice, or flavored with various vinegars, olive oil or butter, or a sauce.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Cut out the core of each cauliflower and separate the head into florets; cut large florets into 2 or 3 pieces to make them about the same size as the smaller whole florets. Place a steamer basket in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, pour in water to a level just below the bottom of the basket, and heat the water to boiling. Add the cauliflower to the basket and cook, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the stalks are just tender when pierced with a knife. Remove the basket from the pan and transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Season the florets with salt and fresh-ground pepper, sprinkle lightly with vinegar and oil to taste, and stir in the parsley. Serve warm topped with breadcrumbs, or chill and serve as a salad.
