Brassica oleracea 'Di Sicilia Violetto'.
A Sicilian heirloom variety cultivated on the island for several centuries, and one of the most beautiful vegetables you can produce in the garden. Where the classic European white cauliflower goes for creamy sobriety, Di Sicilia Violetto deploys a dense head of deep, almost cardinal violet, whose intense colour comes from anthocyanins — the same antioxidant pigments that colour blueberries, black grapes and red cabbage. At sight, it's almost an exhibition flower. To the taste, it's even better: sweet, mild flesh, much less sulphury than that of white cauliflower, almost nutty at full maturity.
A small practical point in the kitchen: the purple colour is pH-sensitive. Cooked in plain water, the cauliflower often loses its tint and turns a charmless grey-green; cooked with a splash of vinegar, lemon or in a slightly acid marinade, it keeps its brilliant violet dress (and can even shift to bright pink). Adopt accordingly to the desired effect. Magnificent raw in florets in a crudité with dip, oven-roasted in quarters with olive oil, garlic and anchovies Sicilian-style, included in pasta con i broccoli arriminati (which traditionally uses this cauliflower despite its misleading name) with raisins, pine nuts and saffron, pickled sweet-and-sour in antipasto jars rich in colour, or simply steamed as a side with a drizzle of lemon to fix the colour.
Bonus: more heat-tolerant than most white cauliflowers, and self-blanching (since it's purple anyway — no need to protect the head from light by folding the leaves over).
Grower's tip: Like all cauliflowers, it's a demanding plant that wants very rich soil, regular watering without jolts, and coolness — intense heat ruins head formation. In Québec, aim for a fall harvest by sowing indoors in early June and transplanting in early July, for a harvest of September-October when cool nights concentrate the sugars and intensify the colour. Insect netting mandatory against the cabbage worm, which adores crucifers. Harvest when the head is well-formed but still firm, before it begins to relax into flowers.
- Open-pollinated. Biennial — flowering only occurs in the second year. Insect-pollinated; crosses with all other Brassica oleracea (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.) — isolate rigorously for seed saving.
- Height: 60 to 80 cm.
- Maturity: 80 to 90 days after transplant.
- Exposure: full sun in spring and fall; part shade accepted in summer.
- Very rich, deep, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.5-7.5). A very hungry plant — amend generously with mature compost. Space plants 50 to 60 cm apart.
- Indoor start 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting. For fall harvest in Québec, sow in early June and transplant in early July. Strict rotation with other crucifers (3 to 4 years).
