Scrambled Eggs with Cauliflower

Let's introduce another recipe from Czech cuisine! This time, we are going to make scrambled eggs with cauliflower, which we Czechs call "Květákový mozeček." I will explain what this name means and how the dish tastes later in the article!

➜ About this recipe

Scrambled eggs with cauliflower represent pre-cooked, coarsely chopped cauliflower sautéed in a pan with onions. Eggs are poured over the fried cauliflower, stirred, and allowed to set until soft. The dish includes crushed caraway seeds, a typical Czech spice.

This cauliflower egg scramble has a poetic name in the Czech Republic: kvetakovy mozecek. It literally means "cauliflower little brain." This is likely due to the dish's resemblance to real fried brains, typically from pork or veal, which were once considered a culinary delicacy in the Czech Republic.

The dish has a subtle flavor that is enhanced by caraway seeds. Served as a main dish, this egg scramble with cauliflower pairs best with boiled buttered potatoes.

MY TIP: If you are a fan of cauliflower, try also this fried breaded cauliflower (it tastes fantastic!)

➜ Ingredients

To make cauliflower eggs sramble, you need:

• Small head cauliflower; trimmed into cauliflower florets, blanched, and chopped. I will describe the method below.
• Eggs
• Caraway seeds; crushed. Do not confuse cumin with caraway seeds; caraway is a typical Czech spice! Crush the caraway seeds either in a mortar, if you have one, or place the seeds between folded baking paper and crush them by gently tapping them with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• Yellow onion
• Lard; for frying. Optionally, use vegetable oil like sunflower or rapeseed oil. I don't advocate using olive oil for this recipe because it has a specific flavor that isn't appropriate for Czech cuisine.
• Salt and black pepper, ground

✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

➜ Instructions with photos

STEP 1: Rinse the head of cauliflower, remove any green leaves and cut out the tough stem. Cut the cauliflower into florets of approximately the same size.

STEP 2: Pour the water into a larger pot and salt it enough to make it as salty as seawater. Bring the water to a boil. Carefully add the cauliflower pieces to the boiling water and cook for three minutes.

STEP 3: Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of cold water. After three minutes of boiling, transfer the cauliflower to the cold bath using a slotted spoon. This will cool the cauliflower rapidly and stop the boiling. Add ice cubes for a better effect.

TIP: The process described in steps 1 to 3 is called blanching in kitchen slang. It is a popular way of preparing vegetables among professional chefs. The vegetables are cooked evenly, are just soft enough, and retain their color. Carrots and broccoli, for example, are also often blanched similarly.

 STEP 4: Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat the lard or oil in a frying nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop the onion into the pan with care and cook, stirring regularly, until it begins to turn golden.

STEP 5: Drain the cooled cauliflower and chop it with a knife into small coarse pieces. Add them to the onions in the pan. Sprinkle in the crushed caraway seeds and stir. Reduce the stove to medium heat and fry for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

STEP 6: Crack open eggs over cauliflower, season with salt and pepper, and immediately scramble them. Don't fry the eggs too long; the trick is that the eggs will just curdle but still remain soft, not dried out. 

➜ Serving

Scrambled eggs with cauliflower are served warm as a light lunch or dinner. They go best with boiled potatoes drizzled with a little melted butter.

I recommend sprinkling the scramble with chopped fresh chives, parsley, or green scallions for a nicer presentation.

➜ Useful tips

• If you have any leftovers, put them in an airtight container in the fridge. Here they will keep for about 3–4 days.
• In addition to raw cauliflower, frozen cauliflower can be used for this recipe; just let it thaw before cooking. Frozen cauliflower should also be blanched first, as described in steps 1-3.
• Egg scramble with cauliflower is one of the delicious recipes that meat lovers will also enjoy.

More tasty recipes:

• Czech cauliflower soup
• Hungarian lecho
• Scrambled eggs with mushrooms (Czech smazenice)