Cauliflower

Crunchy, salty, pretzel-coated chicken cutlets are lightened up with creamy cauliflower purée and arugula salad for a perfect weeknight meal.

Use one 2-pound mackerel if you can't find smaller ones, or substitute arctic char or trout.

This savory cake is packed with Parmesan and basil. Serve it in slices for brunch alongside a salad of fresh fruit or bitter greens.

The following is a slightly-NSFW recipe from the brilliant minds behind the popular cooking blog Thug Kitchen. To learn more about them, read our profile.—Epicurious Editors Grab beer and get to work. Just don't get sloppy 'til you're done cooking.

This dish is simple, unforgettable, and bound to please hot-sauce addicts.

A virtuous, herby grain salad with a heart of indulgent butterfat. We love the white-on-white effect of using barley, but it's delicious with basically any whole grain; try wheat berries or spelt.

This side dish is equally good with steak, broiled fish, or seared lamb chops.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

Toasting the curry powder with other aromatic ingredients before adding the liquid intensifies the flavor of this quick take on chana masala. You can roast the cauliflower and tomatoes a couple days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of FOX's MasterChef. After you remove the breasts for cooking, you can use what remains of the pheasant to make stock to cook the risotto in. Or, feel free to use chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth.

Serving mac and cheese in the skillet it's baked in amps up the homey comfort factor. The secret ingredient in this bread crumb-topped beauty is the finely chopped cauliflower that blends in subtly with the pasta. Using three different cheeses guarantees maximum flavor and meltability.

Here, cauliflower lightens traditional mashed potatoes and blends in seamlessly. A touch of butter is all you need to make them rich and sumptuous. Steaming the vegetables instead of boiling them helps preserve their vitamin C.

Roasting cauliflower with spices brings out the very best in this vegetable—the golden, crispy florets are irresistible. Like broccoli, cauliflower contains compounds that may help fight damaging toxins.

This beautifully simple, light curry is closely based on a wonderful recipe from chef Angela Hartnett. It's always preferable to use some carefully selected ground and whole spices in a recipe like this, but if you're in a hurry, use a ready-made curry powder instead of the dry spices.

This whole roasted cauliflower has become a signature of Domenica chef Alon Shaya. Precooking the cauliflower in seasoned liquid infuses it with flavor.

We're seeing gigante beans everywhere. They're creamy and buttery, and their size adds a dramatic look.

Burning the leek in this recipe lends an aromatic charred note, adding balance to the raw and poached cauliflower.