Mom's cauliflower in roux

[Guest guest]

Here's one of the simplest and best cauliflower recipes i know of. We

 

had it often when I was a kid, because Mom (the late Martha Adkins) and I

both loved it. I still do, and I think this is the first time it's ever

been written down.

 

Don't any new cooks out there let the French word " roux " (pronounced ROO)

throw you; it's just flour fried in butter or another fat, and while it's

the basis of nearly all cream sauces, it can be cooked further and become

a wonderful rich brown coating or dressing for vegetables. By all means

make extra, cooking it just to a cream shade for storage--it keeps fine

in the fridge or freezer, and is very handy.

 

Chileheads, this can definitely be goosed with cayenne added to the

flour. But, foodies, don't otherwise doctor it until you try it plain.

Believe me, you'll thank me.

 

MOM'S CAULIFLOWER IN ROUX

 

Cut or break up *a head of fresh cauliflower*. Simmer in salted water till

just tender--don't cook it mushy. Drain well.

 

While cauliflower cooks:

 

In a medium skillet, *make a roux of flour and butter (see below)*. Cook it,

stirring often, till it's a good rich rust shade but not coffee color or

" burny " -smelling. If it's getting too thick and clumpy to coat veggies,

add butter; if it's too runny, add flour. Err slightly on the side of butter

if necessary. * Salt and pepper *to taste.

 

*Pour well-drained cauliflower into hot roux. Stir and toss in the roux

till most of it is on the cauliflower*. * Serve immediately*, or rt-heats

fine. Make plenty--people tend to want seconds. -- Recipe by my mother,

Martha Martin Adkins, probably from her mother, Myrtle Boyer Martin, *Please

do not remove this credit!*

 

BASIC ROUX:

 

Start with *all-purpose flour (not self-rising or whole wheat) or

pastry flour* and, if possible, real *butter*--use margarine if you must, but

DON'T use tub or lowfat type, as they have too much water and will make

a gooey mess..

 

Roux is most often a one-to-one ratio of fat and flour, so melt one

stick (half an 8-oz.cup) butter in a skillet per small head of

cauliflower.

 

Then stir or whisk in about 1/2 c. flour, going rather slowly

so it doesn't clump. See above about adjusting the amount..

 

Cook, stirring, to the desired color--brown for this, creamy to

palest gold for white sauce or soufflé, etc.).

 

Congratulations--you've just mastered the second most important

skill of old-school French cooking; making roux into sauce being #1.

 

Rain

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