Cauliflower – Vegetable, Pasta Sauce or Soup (Parve)

I like cauliflower. Not just because it's one of those good-for-you cruciferous vegetables that dietitians rave about. I find it visually attractive, tasty and very versatile. If you need convincing, here's an easy and delicious recipe.

Use half a cup of broth and serve as a vegetable. More broth turns it into pasta sauce. Add the full amount and you have soup. Serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, if you'd like.

By the way, this technique works well with broccoli too.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 medium head cauliflower, separated into small florets

½ to 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade is best; find out how)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté or saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until the cauliflower begins to soften. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, salt and pepper. (See instructions above for the amount of broth to use.) Bring to a simmer and cook just until the cauliflower is just tender. Don't let it get mushy!