Pan-Fried Cauliflower with Roasted Tomatoes, Niçoise Olives, and Lemon Caper Sauce
5 Minutes
30-35 Minutes
4
Vegetable
California
Cauliflower can be a bit hit or miss: I find it to be easy to take a little too far and end up with a boring blob of brassica, but just as easy to undercook it and result in a crunchy, cruciferous catastrophe,
And yet, cauliflower has a delicate, distinct flavor that can be developed into a hearty backbone to pair with hearty flavors. The trick is to start with small florets, and cook them on medium high heat in a healthy amount of oil to develop the browning Maillard flavors and build up a nice fond. We then finish the dish by deglazing the pan and using the remaining liquid to steam the cauliflower to our desired texture.
I love this cauliflower with the addition of deeply roasted cherry tomatoes for complex acidity and sweetness and niçoise olives to add briny umami bits. The lemon caper sauce in this recipe brings it all together, but you could just as easily use a salsa verde or even change up the veg/sauce entirely - as I write this I’m thinking about a pan-fried cauliflower tossed in a pesto alla Genovese and served with a few slices of a baguette to sop up the sauce.
Ingredients
1 Medium Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (500 g)
2 TBS + 1 TBS Good EVOO, divided (30 g + 15 g)
2 TBS Butter (30 g)
250 g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
½ Cup Niçoise Olives (75 g)
½ tsp + ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
Lemon Caper Sauce
- 2 TBS Capers, rinsed and chopped (20 g)
2 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice (30 g)
1 tsp Lemon Zest (2 g)
1 TBS Frantoio Grove EVOO (15 g)
3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced (15 g)
¼ tsp Dijon Mustard (optional, 1 g)
For Plating
Optional: 2–3 TBS Pangrattato
Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
Additional Drizzle of Frantoio Grove EVOO
Fleur de Sel to taste
Tellicherry Pepper to taste
Optional: Roasted Pickled Peppers
Recipe
Step 1
Make the Lemon Caper Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together capers, lemon juice, lemon zest, Frantoio Grove EVOO, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
Roast the Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the cherry tomatoes on a small baking pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp EVOO, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring halfway, until the tomatoes are blistered and juicy. Set aside.
Step 3
Pan-Fry the Cauliflower: Heat 2 TBS Good Cooking EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes. When the oil has been absorbed by the cauliflower (about halfway through) add the butter and stir to melt and coat the cauliflower. When the cauliflower has developed deep, golden browning on multiple sides, add a ½ cup of water (125 ml) to the pan, stir to deglaze, and cover. Cook for 1-3 minutes (see note).
Step 4
Assemble the Dish: In the skillet with the cauliflower, add the roasted tomatoes and Niçoise olives. Toss gently to combine and heat through for about a minute. Transfer to a serving platter or serve directly from the pan.
Step 5
Serve: Drizzle the lemon caper sauce over the cauliflower mixture. Top with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Finish with a final drizzle of Frantoio Grove EVOO, Fleur de Sel, and freshly cracked Tellicherry Peppercorns.
Note for cooking the cauliflower
I’ve found this to be one of the best ways to develop a nice, golden brown sear on cauliflower and end up with the desired texture. Cooking for 1 minute will yield a nice, snappy texture with plenty of firmness if you prefer your veggies more toothy. 3 minutes will yield a delicate and tender cauliflower. 2 minutes is my preferred sweet spot, with a little bit of tooth but still cooked enough to my liking. It can vary depending on heat source, pan type, etc., so the best way to know if it's right is to taste as it cooks.
