October 2025 Food Festival: Cauliflower

Each month, our Food Festival series highlights a seasonal ingredient with a chef-driven recipe, pro tips, and serving ideas. For the October Food Festival, cauliflower takes center stage. Nutty, versatile, and nutrient-packed, cauliflower transforms beautifully when slow-simmered into a rich ragu with onion, rosemary, and butter. Perfect for tossing with pasta or spooning over grains, it’s a cozy dish that celebrates autumn’s harvest.

Want more seasonal ideas? Explore the full Food Festival series here.

Ingredient Spotlight:

Cauliflower is a cool-weather staple with a mild, nutty flavor that adapts to almost any cooking method—roasted, mashed, riced, or simmered into sauces. Beyond versatility, it’s packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, making it as nourishing as it is delicious. This humble vegetable shines in hearty fall recipes, where slow cooking coaxes out its natural sweetness and transforms it into a velvety base for comforting meals.

Recipe: Cauliflower Ragu

This month, our chefs feature cauliflower in a rustic Italian-inspired ragu. Slowly simmered with rosemary, onion, and butter, it breaks down into a velvety sauce that’s perfect for tossing with pasta or spooning over grains.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ c soft butter
2 c water
1 Tbsp EVOO
salt to taste

Method

Remove the bottom stem from the cauliflower and discard. Using a chef’s knife, cut the cauliflower head in half and place cut side down on the cutting board. Slice as thinly as possible and set aside while you prep other ingredients.
Finely dice the onion and set aside. Remove the rosemary from its stem and chop finely. In a small rondo over medium heat, add EVOO and let it warm. Add the crushed red pepper and rosemary to perfume the oil. Once fragrant, add the onions and butter, stirring slowly until the onions become translucent.
Add the sliced cauliflower and fold it into the mixture, allowing it to sweat. Add water and cover with a paper cartouche. Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook until the cauliflower begins to break down, about 1 hour. Season to taste and serve over your favorite pasta.

Pro Tips from Our Chefs

Choose the right cauliflower
Look for a firm head with tightly packed, creamy-white florets. Avoid any with soft spots or discoloration.

Slice it thin
The thinner the cauliflower slices, the quicker they’ll break down into a sauce-like consistency, giving you a rich, velvety ragu.

Don’t skip the cartouche
Covering the pan with parchment (a cartouche) helps the cauliflower steam gently and prevents it from drying out.

Make it ahead
This ragu tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store in the fridge for up to four days.

How to Use It: Serving Suggestions

Toss with tagliatelle or pappardelle for a rustic pasta night.
Spoon over creamy polenta for a hearty vegetarian main.
Pair with roasted chicken or grilled sausages for a comforting fall meal.
Add a sprinkle of Parmesan or toasted breadcrumbs on top for extra texture.

From Our Farm to Your Table: Meet Katchkie Farm and Our CSA

The peppers in this month’s recipe—and many of the ingredients we spotlight—come straight from Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in Kinderhook, NY. It’s where we grow with intention: focusing on flavor, sustainability, and connection to the land.

Through our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, you can enjoy the very best of the season each week—from just-picked produce to specialty pantry items and surprises from our kitchen.

Want a deeper connection to your food? Learn more about our CSA and Katchkie Farm →

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