Preserve the Harvest Series: Let's Talk Cauliflower and Giardiniera
Preserve the Harvest Series presents a new fruit or vegetable every Tuesday with the goal of helping you get the most out of fresh fruits and vegetables harvested during peak season. Next up, Cauliflower and Giardiniera.
Cauliflower is a cool season crop from the cabbage family. Temperamental; cauliflower prefers temperatures to remain in the 60′s range. It the weather is too hot or too cold, smaller heads will be produced.
When Cauliflower begins to form, the head will be quite loose. As the cauliflower grows larger, pin the large leaves together with clothespins to protect the forming head from the sun. This will prevent “yellowing” and keep the cauliflower head a creamy white color (depending on variety).
Once the head is compact and firm it’s time to harvest. Cut away the cauliflower with a sharp knife, leaving a few leaves around the cauliflower head for protection.
After harvesting it is a good idea to soak cauliflower in a sink filled with salt water (about 1/3 cup salt) for about 30 minutes. The brine solution rids the cauliflower of any unwanted insects and pests. Unwanted travelers will simply rise to the surface of the water where they can be easily washed away. After the brine soak, rinse the cauliflower with running water to remove salt and drain the excess water. At this point your cauliflower is ready to prepare or store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week.
According to Wikipedia “Italian giardiniera is also called “sotto aceti”, which means “under vinegar”, a common term for pickled foods. It is typically eaten as an antipasto or with salads.”
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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4 comments
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Love pickled cauliflower! Thanks for the tips! :)
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Clothespins to keep the leaves together: who'd a thunk it!
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@Douglas Hunt Quick, easy and painless :)
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