Did you know that you can eat cauliflower leaves? Did you know that those greens are a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese?
Heck, I didn't even know that cauliflower had leaves until they came up in the garden. Watching those leaves get larger every day got me to wondering if they were edible. I wondered about the beet leaves too. A quick Google later and I was ready to cook some up.
Sweating some onion and garlic in a bit of butter and some olive oil is often a good start. Next I added the cut-to-bite-size cauliflower leaves (2 was plenty for 3 people), some beet leaves and some kale with the stalks removed. I didn't cook the cauliflower or beet stems this time out because I was in a rush, but they are edible too.
When the leaves seemed on the verge of getting tender I added some apple and pear slices. As soon as the leaves were tender, around 5-7 minutes total over medium low heat, I served them up.
The greens had a strong umami flavor that was just wonderful. This time out I served them with some ginger mashed butternut squash and grilled pork tenderloin. I have a feeling that these greens will be a regular part of dinner.
