We at PureWow consider ourselves to be a group of fairly well-established cauliflower aficionados. But leave it to Ina Garten to blow our minds with a cauliflower cooking tip even we never knew.
One of the biggest annoyances when cutting a head of cauliflower is the huge mess it makes when bits of the veggie get all over the kitchen. But Ina has a handy little trick to minimize the mess and maximize your floret game.
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If you’ve been cutting cauliflower through the top and getting little bits all over your kitchen, I have a better way to do it!! And once you’ve mastered the technique, you’ll be ready to make the Cook Like a Pro sneak peek recipe I’m posting next week! #BCprotips #CookLikeaPro
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Simply turn the cauliflower head upside down and cut out the core. Now you can snip through the stems and pull your lovely little florets off clean. In the words of the cooking goddess, “How easy is that?”
Learn more pro cooking tips from the Barefoot Contessa in her forthcoming book, Cook Like a Pro (in stores October 23), or by following her hashtag #CookLikeaPro.
RELATED: See her best cooking secrets 10 PHOTOSIna Garten's 10 best-kept kitchen secretsSee GalleryIna Garten's 10 best-kept kitchen secrets
1. Splurging Is OK…In Moderation
Prior to hitting the grocery store or market, make a list to avoid excess purchases. But don’t punish yourself for occasional impulse buys—even Garten sometimes splurges on sweet treats (and hence why she has Lidey handle most of her ingredient shopping). Her favorites are Tate’s chocolate chip cookies and vanilla Häagen-Dazs.
2. Breakfast K.I.S.S.
Everyone loves pancakes and French toast but both require multiple ingredients to make. (Not to mention the mess!) Garten keeps it simple and eats the same breakfast every.single.day. For the last decade, she’s had a cup of coffee and McCann’s Quick-Cooking Oatmeal. No lie.
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3. And Salt Makes All the Difference
That Eeyore-inspired breakfast Queen Ina eats every morning? Garten adds a heavy shaking of salt so her oatmeal doesn’t “taste like wallpaper paste.”
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4. Instead of Take-Out, Prepare ‘No Cook’ Options For Lazy Days
Even the Barefoot Contessa has days where she doesn’t feel like cooking. “I always have soup in the freezer that’s hearty enough to be a meal, like Tuscan white bean, split pea, cauliflower, or Loaves & Fishes’ tortellini en brood,” she says. Simply come home, zap it in the microwave and voilà!
5. Coffee + Chocolate Are a Delicious Combo
Garten adds coffee to chocolate to “give it a depth of flavor.” Bonus: The delectable pairing satisfies chocolate cravings and caffeine fixes.
6. Don’t Forgo the Essentials
Garten says she always keeps the following items in her kitchen: Lemons (always in a bowl on the counter), butter, eggs, Parmesan cheese and chocolate.
7. The More Seasoning the Merrier
Season your meal throughout the cooking process—not just at the end.
8. Follow the Recipe…No Matter What
Cooking is a science, and one bad move can ruin the entire dish. Garten admits she measures everything, exactly.
9. DIY-ing Isn’t For Everyone
If starting from scratch isn’t your thing…don’t start from scratch. Garten’s mantra: Unless you can make something that’s better than what you’d buy, there’s no point in spending the time! Less time cooking equals more time eating, ladies.
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10. And It’s Not Always About the Food
OK…food does take priority, but no Garten meal is complete without a beautiful bouquet of flowers to brighten the table.
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