Vegan Bunny Elle

A quick and easy way to preserve the vibrant color and amazing antioxidants of purple cauliflower while adding tons of flavors!

Purple cauliflower is like a whimsical, wild sibling of the classic white cauliflower, it brings both theatrical color and exceptional nutrition to the dinner plate. The brilliant violet hue is entirely natural and comes from anthocyanins, which are the same water-soluble antioxidants found in red wine, blueberries, and red cabbage.

Taste-wise, unlike standard white cauliflower, purple cauliflower boasts a slightly sweeter, milder, and nuttier flavor profile. It doesn’t have the bitter sulfur notes sometimes associated with cruciferous vegetables, making it an easy crowd-pleaser.

If cooked too long, the beautiful purple color can turn into a dull greyish blue. When that happens, you can try to bring the color back with a splash of acid, like vinegar or lemon juice. Or, my favorite way to preserve purple cauliflower’s color and nutrients is to pickle it raw! The purple florets turn into a gorgeous, vibrant hot pink!

Quick Pickled Purple Cauliflower

A quick and easy way to preserve the vibrant color and amazing antioxidants of purple cauliflower while adding tons of flavors!

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 head purple cauliflower
• 1 :1 ratio water to rice vinegar or white vinegar enough to completely fill your container
• 8-10 garlic cloves slightly smashed
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoon sugar

Method

 

1. Thoroughly scrub and clean the cauliflower with some corse salt and rinse under running water, drain and pat dry;
2. Trim off the root and any leaves of the cauliflower, cut from the stems and separate the florets, transfer into a large enough container, preferably one that has an airtight lid;
3. In a separate pot, mix enough water and vinegar, enough that it can fill up the container you used, add in the garlics, bay leaves, peppercorn, salt and sugar, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stir to make sure all the salt and sugar dissolve;
4. Pour the hot brine into the container over all the cauliflower florets, until it fills up to the rim, close the lid, and let it cool down to room temperature before transferring to the fridge;
5. You can start digging in at any time you like, make sure to only use clean utensils and the longer you let them pickle the more flavorful they’ll get, enjoy!