PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Cauliflower needs more love.  Americans tend to damn it to side-dish oblivion.  Boiled to a bland mush, cauliflower loses most of its flavor.  Sadder still, what little taste is left then gets entombed in molten cheese sauce.  This recipe aims to lift cauliflower out of its Velveeta-drowned purgatory.

When pan-fried, cauliflower caramelizes.  High heat salvages the florets' crunch, drawing out the sweetness sapped by boiling.  If you hate cauliflower, give this recipe a whirl and see if you still find it icky.

In much of Rome, the cavolfiore romanesco is a comical and common sight.  Looking like a mad botanist's creation, it's sort of broccoli and sort of cauliflower. Bright green, the romanesco variety first emerged in Italy during the 1600s.  Its texture is spongy like cauliflower but, once cooked, presents a greener taste more akin to everyday broccoli.

This dish combines market-variety cauliflower and the more alien-looking romanesco.  If you can't find romanesco, plain old cauliflower is more than up to the task. Porous florets happily sop up the oil, vinegar and lemon juice dressing. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small head of white cauliflower
• 1 small romanesco cauliflower
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
• 6-8 pitted olives, chopped
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 8 oz of penne

Wash and core the cauliflower, keeping the individual florets intact as much as possible.  For instructions on coring a cauliflower, go here: how to cut a cauliflower.  Slice the florets in half or in quarters.  Cauliflower browns best when cut with one or more flat sides.  The flat surface will touch the hot pan and caramelize.  Uncut florets will may turn soggy and be hard to brown.

While the water is boiling, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a flat skillet over medium-high. Depending on size, you might need more oil.  When the pan is hot (but-not-smoking), add cauliflower slivers.  Quickly stir the so that all the pieces are coated in oil.  :: Stop stirring ::.  In order to brown, the cauliflower needs to be in sustained direct contact with the hot pan.  Wait 3-4 minutes or until the cauliflower has begun to brown.  Continue cooking until browned all over.  Remove the florets and set aside.

Cook the penne in 3 quarts of salted water.   In the same pan that you cooked the cauliflower, heat another 2 tablespoons of oil.  Add the garlic, olives, capers, red pepper flakes and anchovy, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.  Cook over medium heat for another 2 minutes -- you will begin to smell the aromatic garlic and the vinegary tang of the capers.
 

When the garlic starts to caramelize, return the browned florets to the pan.  Lower heat and gently mix together, making sure that the garlic and olives and capers get evenly distributed.  Dress the florets at this point with the lemon juice and balsamic.  Keep cooking for 2-3 minutes over low heat -- or until the juice and vinegar have been absorbed.  Toss the cooked pasta together in the pan with the dressed cauliflower. Serve hot.  

SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT

In Italy's boot and heel, eggplant reigns supreme. Whether fried, char-grilled or teamed with red sauce, this ink-purple verdura is at the heart of countless rustic recipes.

Historically, Italy's south was poorer and more rural than the north.  Its cuisine reflects this reality -- rich in  local vegetables and seafood but short on more expensive red meats.  Carne -- beef, pork and lamb -- was a pricey treat reserved for Sunday dinners or dry-cured as salami.

In southern Italian kitchens, eggplant fills the role that cutlets or steak play in richer regions.  People make eggplant meatballs (polpette di melanzane) throughout the south, substituting ground meat with eggplant and bread crumbs.  

Melanzane in agrodolce is common in Sicly, Calabria and Campania.  Grilled or pan-fried eggplant are dressed in a tangy slurry of red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic and herbs.  Porous eggplant will sponge up the tart marinade.  Because the glaze is vinegar-based, the dish will last up to a week in the fridge.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

SUPERMARKET TIP:

Italian eggplants are thinner, longer and all-around tinier than American supermarket varietals.  If possible, look for either "Italian eggplant" or "Japanese eggplant."  Gigantic eggplants can have a bitter taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 or 5 eggplants, cubed
• 1 sweet onions, diced
• 1 cup of good red wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon capers
• Fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt & pepper

Cut the eggplants into cubes. For tips on cubing an eggplant, go here: How to cube an eggplant

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In a large frying pan, heat 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.  Olive oil has a low burn temperature, so be careful not to get it too hot.  It will smoke and taste bad.  Pan fry the cubed eggplant until each cube has softened and is golden brown / lightly caramelized on all sides -- about 8-10 minutes.  Cook the eggplant in batches. You won't be able to cook it all at once.  

Fry about 20 cubes at a time.  You may need to add more olive oil after cooking a batch.  Remove the browned eggplant and place it in a large mixing bowl.  Then, cook the onion on medium-low heat in the same pan until translucent. Add the cooked onion to the bowl with the caramelized eggplant.
Photo: www.ideericette.it

When the eggplant is done, make the marinade.  Whisk the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, fresh herbs, capers and sugar together in a bowl.   If you are cooking large eggplants, you will need to double the marinade proportions.  Taste the marinade and add salt and pepper.  Pour the marinade over the pan-fried eggplant and onion, tossing the mixture.  Let the eggplant sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, mixing every 5 minutes to ensure that the marinade is evenly distributed.  
This photo is from www.mondodelgusto.it