Broccoflower-Bleu Souffle

Both broccoli and cauliflower are members of the mustard family, as are cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, radishes, and watercress. President Bush (No. 41) publicly aired his dislike for broccoli, an attitude condemned by the agricultural community, but echoed by millions (me among them!). Yet, I am assured that weekly ingestion of such vegetables is beneficial to health; as a result, I regularly serve them accompanying the day’s dinner entrée.

Broccoflower is not in my dictionary, but it is in my supermarket. It is closer in appearance and taste to a cauliflower than it is to broccoli. In fact, it looks like a cauliflower that was bred especially for St. Patrick’s Day as an alternate accompaniment to corned beef.

The following recipe was developed to satisfy a yearning for something better than steamed, then sauced, broccoli or cauliflower, from what I had in my refrigerator at the time. I just happened to hit it right the first time! It is really good! Even Bush-41, I think, would like it!

  • ¾ cup broccoflower, or broccoli, or cauliflower, chopped
  • 3 oz bleu cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup nonfat egg substitute (X)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp flour

Mix all the above ingredients together, but into a well-greased baking dish, and bake at 400°F. for about 20 minutes, or until just browning on top. Remove from oven and serve at once.

Serves 2.

broccoli loaf

A wise man (it may have been me) once said, “Luccoli, there is nothing exoccoli that tastes like broccoli!” George H. W. Bush even banned it from his diet when he became president. Internet blogs are rife with like testimonials to such abhorrence.

But, I am told, it is good for you because ... (umpty reasons can be cited). So we eat it regularly at the Tausworthe household. I have tried almost every way to make it taste good. In Hollandaise. With cheese sauce. Bacon wrapped. Practically all trials have failed. But not all.

You can make the cauliflower pizza crust recipe found elsewhere †, replacing the cauliflower with broccoli. It may one of the best way to eat broccoli ever invented! Another is the broccoli loaf recipe below. It doesn’t exactly taste like broccoli, but that’s the point.

  • 4 cups broccoli, grated in a food processor
  • 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large carrot, grated in a food processor
  • 2 large jalapeño peppers, seeds and placenta removed, grated in food processor
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 small onion, grated,
  • 3 cloves garlic, likewise grated
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 oz olive oil
  • 1 tsp <salt>
  • ½ tsp black pepper, ground

Depending on the size of your food processor, you can put all of the above together and chop and mix it up all at once, or in portions. The object is to get it chopped and mixed and into a nonstick covered pan. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes. Let cool and cut in squares for serving.