Cauliflower with Tomatoes, Dill and Capers Recipe
This recipe is an oldie, but goodie! Remember when everyone was like, “Ottolenghi who?” Â I bought Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s first book and knew they were going places with their emphasis on beautiful, veggie-forward, fresh looking recipes which happened to be vegetarian. Â This recipe is adapted from their first book, “Ottolenghi.”
I pretty much can’t get enough of cauliflower. Â It used to be a fall/winter vegetable in my book, but now I eat it all year in so many different forms. Â Cherry tomatoes, on the other hand, are strictly a summer/early fall ingredient. Â So this recipe is one I have been making in September for many years. Â I have served it at almost every Rosh Hashana luncheon, as well as weeknight dinners with a piece of salmon or a wedge of frittata.
In Ottolenghi’s recipe, the cauliflower is charred, but I prefer to keep the flavor really clean with just a simple blanching. The result is a bright salad with herbaceous dill and a tangy mustard-caper dressing. Â It’s so good and I am contemplating how else I can use this delectable dressing.
When I make this for the holidays, I prep everything the day before and keep the spinach separate until just before serving so it doesn’t get wilty and discolored. Â I know everyone is looking at this for Christmas with all the red and green. Â I might consider buying cherry tomatoes out of season just once.
In the meantime, give this a go sooner rather than later and embrace the best of summer and fall!
- 2 Tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon French wholegrain mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup unrefined, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tablespoon, divided
- 1 small-medium cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets (about 4 cups)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped dill
- 2 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Steam the cauliflower florets until tender or blanche in salted boiling water, about 3 or 4 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow to dry.
- To make the dressing: combine the capers, mustard, garlic, vinegar, ½ teaspoon sea salt and some black pepper. Whisk briskly while slowly adding the ⅓ cup oil. Taste for seasoning.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the cauliflower and sauté until hot and just starting to brown. Transfer to a serving bowl. While the cauliflower is still hot, add the dressing, dill, spinach and tomatoes. Stir together well, then taste for seasoning.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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