Cauliflower is a laid-back dinner partner
Plus, it’s versatile enough to serve as antipasto, a side dish or part of a buffet
I love the versatility of the unassuming cauliflower. In vegetable terms, it’s a blank canvas. That’s not to say it’s flavourless, but cauliflower’s relatively mild personality is ready to be transformed in combination with a vast number of other flavourful ingredients. Its nature is to absorb and comply.
One easy and delicious way to prepare cauliflower is to steam or boil it, then anoint it. Cook thick slices until just done and arrange them on a plate. Drizzle them with fruity extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This is a subtle but satisfying option.
But cauliflower, like many other vegetables, benefits from high heat, which brings out its sweet disposition. From a pan or hot oven, the heat allows the vegetable to caramelize and char.
For my market-fresh cauliflower, I looked to both methods and devised what is essentially a baked cauliflower salad, which can be used in myriad ways. I cut the cauliflower into irregular half-inch slices and blanched them briefly in boiling water.
Then, I whisked together a robust lemony dressing with the classic mixture of anchovies, capers and olives. With the cauliflower pieces well coated, I transferred the mixture to a baking dish and popped it, uncovered, into the oven.
Twenty minutes was sufficient to intensify the seasoning, and to brown the cauliflower here and there, even letting it char a bit, for a rustic presentation with deep flavour.
Mellow and gently charming, cauliflower pairs well with nearly everything, and this salad is no
exception. Toss it with freshly cooked spaghetti, then shower it with grated pecorino and toasted bread crumbs. Try it as a warm almost-vegetarian main course, paired with rice pilaf, roasted
sweet potatoes or sautéed greens.
Serve it hot or at room temperature. Make it a first course antipasto, finished with a flourish of extra-virgin olive oil. It could even grace a buffet table. It’s also
a simple make-ahead side dish to accompany a number of main courses, whether roast chicken, pork chops or fish fillets — a testament to its easygoing nature.