photo courtesy Domenica Marchetti
I am constantly amazed at the degree of human ingenuity evidenced throughout history in designing detours for one and all from the dregs of Winter-weather weeks. In addition to eating and drinking yourself silly (as I am prone to doing-jk), there is getting on airplanes and flying to more pleasant climes, there’s Carnevale, Valentine’s Day, the Australian Open, Mardi Gras, and of course, today’s Super Bowl.
Whether or not Winter Storm Linus materializes into anything significant for tomorrow, here is a recipe I thought was gloriously appropriate and worthy of a detour for your table. This is the perfect dish for today’s dinner table (and tomorrow’s if there are any leftovers). It incorporates many of my very favorite savory ingredients: in addition to Cauliflower, it features Gorgonzola, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Lemon. 🙂 While it is called a Winter Cauliflower Salad, I think you will agree it says sunny, yummy, warm and satisfying!
This is from a book my husband bought for me, The Glorious Vegetables of Italy by Domenica Marchetti. It’s a perfect example of how a dish’s profile is highlighted by lemon. The photo is the recipe that clinched my decision to add the book to my collection.
Then there were were also these: Sweet Potato Frittelle and Carrot Polenta Cake with Marsala. Um, yummmmmmm………. Also, the Tomato Marmalade. Need a treat? Buy this book!
Winter Cauliflower Salad – courtesy Domenica Marchetti and tweaked ever so slightly
1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 large rib celery, sliced on the bias
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted olives (a mix of green and purple, such as cerignola and gaeta or kalamata)
1 tblsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tsp fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tblsp coarsely chopped slow-roasted tomatoes or bottled sun-dried tomatoes
1 fresh chile pepper, very hot or mildly hot, your preference, minced
finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine, reduced by half and cooled
3-4 oz gorgonzola piccante, crumbled (try not to use pre-crumbled Gorgonzola – buy a good quality Gorgonzola and crumble it yourself – I especially love one labeled “Mountain Gorgonzola” I have found in Kings in Mendham)
Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan and fill the pan with water up to but not touching the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Arrange the cauliflower in the steamer basket, cover and steam until just tender, about 5 minutes. Do not over cook.
Meanwhile, reduce the 1/4 cup of dry white wine by half. Set aside and cool.
Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl. Add the celery, olives, parsley, thyme, garlic, onion, roasted tomatoes, and chile pepper and toss gently but thoroughly. Sprinkle the lemon zest, lemon juice and cooled wine over the salad. Season with the salt and toss again. Drizzle in the olive oil, starting with 1/4 cup and adding more if you like. Cover the salad and let it marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate until chilled if you prefer it cold. Right before serving, folding the cheese.
Cook’s Note: Any or all of the following items would make good additions to the salad: sliced carrots, sliced fennel bulb, roasted peppers, or sliced salami.
My note: the wine and the thyme are my additions. I even thought about a touch of sherry or sherry vinegar. I will fool around with these ideas but, feel free to eliminate them and make the original version.
🙂