long-cooked CAULIFLOWER WITH Old fashioned butcher’s sicilian seasoning salt  

 Serves 4 

This is one of my favorite dishes – I make it almost every week and enjoy it every time.  It’s a simple and easy dish and can be served in many different ways. The recipe originated as a way to utilize the entire head of the cauliflower including the tender leaves and the stem, the parts usually thrown into the trash bin. Serve it tossed with pasta and sprinkled garlicky, herby breadcrumbs; as a vegetable accompaniment to roasts or steaks; on toast with grated Parmigiano and olive oil; stirred into an omelette – I’m sure you’ll have your own ideas for  ways to serve it, and I’m equally sure you’ll come to love it, too.

1 large or several small heads of cauliflower with leaves attached
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled, cut in thick slices
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ - 2 tsp Sicilian seasoning salt 
1 lemon, seeds removed 
Optional: 1 ½ TBL capers in brine or 1 ½ TBL salted capers, rinsed then soaked for 30 mins; 1 tsp chopped anchovy fillets or anchovy paste

Remove thick outer green leaves from bottom of cauliflower and cut off and discard the fibrous end of stem, about ¾ inch at bottom. remove the tender, pale leaves and set aside. Cut out the stem and cut stem into ½-inch slices. Trim or break the rest of the head into florets, the individual pieces that make up the head. Cut the larger florets in half so pieces are more or less uniform size. Place cauliflower, leaves, and stem pieces in a more-or-less single layer in a wide shallow pan 10-11 inches across and 2-3 inches deep. Add garlic, 3 ounces olive oil, salt, and spices. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Set lid ajar and cook over medium heat until water evaporates, about 20 minutes. Cauliflower will be soft but not falling apart. Reduce heat to low and sizzle cauliflower gently in oil for about 10 minutes, scraping bottom of pan occasionally with a wooden spoon. If cauliflower needs more oil to maintain its sizzle, add a spoonful oil to pan. Turn off heat and squeeze lemon juice into pan. Scrape browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add remaining 1 oz olive oil. Stir in capers and/or anchovy, if using. Adjust salt, if needed.

©2019 christopher lee