Cauliflower With Anchovies And Crushed Olives Recipes

CAULIFLOWER WITH CAPERS, BLACK OLIVES AND CHILES

Steps:

• Trim the cauliflower, and break the head apart into florets.
• On a chopping board, combine the olives, capers, parsley and lemon zest, and chop together to mix well.
• Bring a pot of water large enough to hold the cauliflower to a rolling boil. Add a big pinch of salt, and when it returns to a boil, add the florets. Cook until the florets are just barely tender, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients, warm the chile flakes and the garlic in the oil over medium-low heat until hot, about 3 or 4 minutes. The chile and garlic should be starting to melt in the oil, rather than sizzling and browning. Stir in the lemon juice, and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the olive-caper mix, give it a stir, take it off the heat and set aside.
• Drain the cauliflower well, shaking the colander. Combine the cauliflower with the olive-caper dressing in the skillet, and set the skillet back on medium heat. Warm it up to serving temperature, taste to make sure the seasoning is right and serve.

CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Parboil the cauliflower florets for five minutes and drain them.
• Soften the shallots and the garlic in oil. Add the anchovies, tomatoes, pepper and rosemary. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce dries out.
• Add the cauliflower florets to the pan and toss to coat them with the sauce. Cover and cook until tender (about five minutes).

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVY, CAPERS, AND FRESH THYME

Steps:

• Roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower and reserve. Cut the cauliflower heads in half, then into bite-size florets. Cut the stalks into bite-size pieces also. Place the florets and stalk pieces in a roasting pan, and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels to drain.
• Make the garlic chips: Pour 1/4 inch of oil into a small saucepan. Add the garlic and set the pan over medium heat. Heat the oil until the chips are golden and crisp, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
• Make the anchovy sauce: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and fry the anchovies, garlic, capers, and thyme, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies and infuse the oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the cream and Parmesan, and bring to a simmer. Just before serving, add the roasted cauliflower pieces and fold in the reserved leaves. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, and top with the fried garlic chips, cracked black pepper, and shaved Parmesan.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, with a large knife, cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut off the tough core at the stem end of each piece. Cut cauliflower quarters into rough 1/2-inch slices. Cut larger slices into several pieces, so all the chopped cauliflower is about the same size.
• Salt boiling water generously and add chopped cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.
• In a large bowl, put garlic, anchovy, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk ingredients together and taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice as necessary.
• Add blanched cauliflower to the bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes, or add to taste, and toss cauliflower with your hands to coat evenly with dressing.
• Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish, small roasting pan or sheet pan. (Recipe may be prepared up to this point several hours ahead of baking.)
• To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cauliflower, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is browned and beginning to char in some places. For extra char, place dish under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkling of parsley and scallions. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.