Recipe: Pickled Purple Cauliflower

Making good use of purple food can be tricky, said Frank Gonzales, coordinator of the culinary Continuing Education program at Kapiolani Community College. “Most food doesn’t stay purple naturally for very long once it’s cooked,” Gonzales said.

He recommends pickling as a way to preserve color.

Chef Grant Sato, instructor at Kapiolani Community College in the Culinary Arts program, will demonstrate this recipe for pickling purple cauliflower May 17 on “What’s Cooking Hawaii,” which airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on KFVE-TV and repeats at 3 p.m. Saturdays.

You might need to hunt a little for purple cauliflower, but it is sold in Hawaii supermarkets.

­

• 2 gallons water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2-1/2 pounds purple cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets
• 4 cups white wine vinegar
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 onions, cut in thin strips
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Bring water and salt to boil in large pot. Add cauliflower; boil 3 minutes. Drain.

In a medium-sized pot, combine remaining ingredients; bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Place cauliflower into sterilized jars; add hot vinegar mixture and cap tightly.

Let marinate 4 weeks before eating. It will keep for up to 1 year. Makes 6 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per 1/8 cup serving: 45 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 11 g sugar, no fiber or protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., a nutritionist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii-Manoa.