Marinated Cauliflower...

Wherever it is from, behold:  This is a strange beast.

I initially pulled it out (from….um….Cooking Light?  I have no idea)  because I needed something to do with a leftover ½ head of cauliflower.  And I'm always on the lookout for different, interesting things to do with vegetables besides steaming them or roasting them, two options it seems that I just default to time and time again.  (Both are good ways to prepare them, but you get bored doing the same thing over, and over...)  After I made it…well, there are better things to do with leftover cauliflower. 

It’s not that it’s a bad recipe – the flavors are good, and the vinaigrette dressing uses common ingredients and good flavors that I’ve used in many, many a vinaigrette before (Dijon mustard; red onion; olive oil).  I like the saltiness of the olives (I didn’t have capers) and the bite of the vinegar, but it just didn’t come together for me. 

The vinegar was too strong – instead of the called-for white, I’d use cider.  The salad tasted more pickled than marinated – not bad, but not what I was after.  And with nothing else in the salad, it just seemed a little…empty.  It’s OK, and it would probably be a big hit on, say, an Italian antipasti platter, because the acidity would cut right through the rich, saltiness of salumi and cheese.  But as a side dish it left me wanting…something else. 

If you have a leftover head of cauliflower, and you don’t know what to do with it….ROAST IT!  Tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper, give it 20-25 minutes in a 425 oven.  It gets brown, nutty, and delicious – truly different than most of its usually uncooked applications. 

If you don’t want to roast it, or if you have an antipasti platter laying around, you could try this.   It’s not that bad…but it’s not that good either.  But, hey, at least we used up that cauliflower. Modified recipe after the jump. 

  

Marinated Cauliflower Salad

½ head cauliflower, broken into bite-sized florets

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 Tbsp minced red onion

2 tsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

2 Tbsp minced olives or capers

S&P

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch cauliflower for 2 minutes, then drain. You want it still pretty crunchy. 

Whisk vinegar, onion and mustard together in a large bowl.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly to form an emulsion.  Immediately add warm cauliflower and toss well.  Stir in parsley and olives/capers, and season with salt & pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight to allow cauliflower to marinate.  The cauliflower will absorb a good amount of the dressing.  Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving.