ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & OVEN-DRIED GRAPES

Preheating your baking sheet cooks the cauliflower faster, letting it retain more of its raw crunch, an essential element when serving at room temperature (we don’t want to feel like we’re eating last night’s leftovers). The semi-dried grapes are a revelation. The technique may seem like a hassle, but it requires very little labour and the result is well worth the effort, as they keep more of their grapey flavour than the store-bought variety (a.k.a. raisins). That said, if you’re tight on time, you can easily swap them out for 1/2 cup (250 mL) golden raisins.

1 large head cauliflower

1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp (2 mL) kosher salt

1/2 small shallot, finely chopped, about 2 tbsp (30 mL)

1/4 cup (60 mL) red wine vinegar

2 small garlic cloves

2 anchovy fillets

2 tbsp (30 mL) capers, chopped

1 tsp (5 mL) honey

1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped parsley

1 cup (250 mL) Oven-Dried Grapes

(recipe follows)

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped toasted pistachios

1 Position rack in bottom of oven. Put a large baking sheet in to preheat. Set oven to 475°F (246°C).

2 Coarsely grate 1 cup (250 mL) of cauliflower. Set aside. Cut remaining cauliflower into bitesized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup (60 mL) oil and the salt. Carefully arrange cauliflower in a single layer on preheated baking sheet. Roast in oven until bottoms are deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Flip cauliflower and continue to cook until bottom is browned, about 5 minutes more.

3 Meanwhile, combine shallot and vinegar in the same large bowl you used to toss the cauliflower. Set aside. Finely chop garlic and anchovies, then, using the side of your knife, mash into a paste. Add paste to bowl with shallots. Stir in capers, honey and Dijon.

4 Add roasted cauliflower to bowl with dressing and let cool to room temperature. Stir in grated cauliflower, parsley and Oven-Dried Grapes. Transfer to a serving platter, then drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) oil. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Serves 4 to 6