Cauliflower + Pine Nuts

Every Monday at the restaurant, I cook a simple lunch — usually a quick pasta dish — for JosÈ, Carolina, Rambo, Bob and myself.† Occasionally, one of the delivery drivers might happen to show up at just the right time, too!† For the last several weeks, I’ve been hooked on the flavor combination of sautÈed cauliflower and toasted pine nuts, and it makes a really delicious dish with some bucatini (one of my all-time favorite pasta cuts), crumbled duck sausage, garlic slivers and grated asiago cheese.† If there’s a little leftover sautÈed green kale on hand then I’ll toss some of that in, too.† Cauliflower has become one of my very favorite vegetables in recent years, and I cook it in the cooler months with potato, Savoy cabbage and onion, sometimes just as a complex vegetable dish on its own and others as a compliment to meat dishes.

The trick I use is very straightforward:† I sautÈ raw cauliflower rather than blanch it ahead of time.† It’s an approach that I use regularly with certain vegetables that results in a fresh, lean and true flavor rather than a watered-down version; unlike most cooks I apply it to brussel sprouts, broccoli rabe and even green beans.† Using a cast-iron skillet with a good-fitting lid is key to making it work.† Here’s how I do it:

Cut the cauliflower in to little florets, trim the stems, and then slice them flat about 1/2″ thick.† This method of preparation allows lots of surface area for cooking on both sides and results in very even cooking.† In a large cast-iron skillet, heat some olive oil and add the flat-cut florets.† SautÈ them over medium heat until golden on the first side, seasoning lightly with salt.† Flip them over, add some chopped garlic, maybe another little drizzle of olive oil and again a tiny sprinkle of salt.† Cover the pan with the lid and turn the heat way down, letting the cauliflower cook through while becoming golden on the second side.† This is the beauty of the cast-iron skillet; using the heat of the skillet to finish cooking the vegetable (w/o burning!) as the use of the lid adds a little steam to the process.† Then toss in the cooked sausage, already crumbled, the toasted pine nuts and the cooked green kale.† Ground black pepper?† Red pepper flakes?† Your call!† Add the cooked pasta and stir, double-checking the seasoning.† Turn off the heat altogether, put the lid back on and allow everything to heat through completely as the skillet cools down.

Transfer the pasta dish to a serving bowl, using a rubber spatula to get all the tasty bits from the pan.† Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with grated cheese.† Serve immediately.

Any questions or little issues with this recipe?† Give me a call at the restaurant, and I’ll give you free tech support over the phone!