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Cauliflower (chou-fleur)

Erken's basic recipe for boiled cauliflower: two heads soak 1 hour in cold vinegar water, boil about 30 minutes in salted water (or half milk) with a cut in the stalk, and are served with melted butter and parsley or hollandaise.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 392 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The basic recipe for boiled cauliflower in Erken's chapter on root vegetables and greens. Soaking in vinegar water was common to drive small creatures out of the head, and a cut in the stalk ensured even cooking time.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean the cauliflower

    Choose firm, white cauliflower heads. Remove the leaves and cut away some of the stalk. Rinse the heads well.

  2. 2

    Soak in vinegar water

    Place the cauliflower flower-side down in cold water with 1 tablespoon vinegar per liter of water. Let it sit 1 hour, then rinse it again.

  3. 3

    Boil the cauliflower

    Bring the water to a boil with salt. Cut a slit in the stalk so it becomes tender at the same time as the flower, and place the cauliflower in the boiling water. Let it boil about 30 minutes until tender. If you want it perfectly white, boil it in half milk and half water.

  4. 4

    Serve

    Melt the butter, stir in the finely chopped parsley and pour it over the cauliflower. Can also be served with hollandaise.

Changes from the original

Measures have been converted to modern units (dl, tbsp, tsp) and grams have been kept. The vinegar water for soaking has been entered as a separate ingredient. The language of the method has been modernized, while the transcription keeps Erken's spelling.

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1914 (proofread, p. 392) → Modernised~87% of the text changedremovedadded
2 blomkaalhoder (á 1 kg.) stk blomkålhoder (ca. 1 1/2 l. vand kg hvert). 1,5 l vann (til koking). 2 teskefulde salt ts salt. 60 gr. g smør (til smeltet smør). 1 spiseske persille. Blomkaalen maa være fast og hvit. Bladene avtages og noget ss persille (finhakket). 1 ss eddik (per liter kaldt vann til utblødning). Velg faste, hvite blomkålhoder. Ta av stilken avskjæres. Blomkaalen skylles godt bladene og lægges skjær bort noe av stilken. Skyll hodene godt.. Legg blomkålen med blomsten ned i koldt vand med kaldt vann tilsatt 1 spiseske spiseskje eddik til hver per liter vand; ligger saaledes vann. La den ligge 1 time, vaskes igjen over. Sættes og skyll den over ilden i det kokende, saltede vand; igjen.. Kok opp vannet med salt. Skjær et snitt i stilken skjæres et snit; herved slik at den blir denne likesaa snart kokt som blomsten; koker ca. 1/2 time. Kaalen serveres med smeltet smør, hvori finhakket persille, eller mør samtidig med hollandsk saus. Blomkaalen blir hvitere, om blomsten, og legg kålen i det kokende vannet. La den koke ca. 30 minutter til den er mør. Vil du ha helt hvit kål, kokes den i halvt søt melk og halvt vand. vann.. Smelt smøret, rør inn finhakket persille og hell det over kålen. Kan også serveres med hollandaise.

Note on Modernised

Mål er omregnet til moderne enheter (dl, ss, ts) og gram er beholdt. Eddikvannet til utblødning er ført inn som egen ingrediens. Språket i fremgangsmåten er modernisert, mens transkripsjonen står med Erkens rettskriving.

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the cauliflower soak in water with vinegar before boiling?
After rinsing, the cauliflower is placed flower-side down in cold water with 1 tablespoon vinegar per liter, and sits like that for 1 hour. It is then rinsed again. This draws out any insects and impurities from the flower.
How long should the cauliflower boil?
About half an hour in boiling, salted water (1½ l water and 2 teaspoons salt for two heads of 1 kg each). Cut a slit in the stalk so it is done at the same time as the flower.
How do I get the cauliflower extra white?
Boil it in half sweet milk and half water — it turns whiter than in plain water. Also choose a firm, white head.
What is the cauliflower served with?
Melted butter (60 g) with finely chopped parsley (1 tablespoon), or hollandaise sauce.

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