Any time capers mingle with anchovies and garlic, I’m happy. You might think these are very strong flavors, but when they are used sparingly they add a lovely layer of salty/savory flavor to whatever dish they grace.
When I serve this to my family, do I mention that there are anchovies in it? Nope, I don’t. Do they think it’s delicious? Yup, they do.
The cauliflower is browned in the pan before it’s braised, and don’t cook it too long in the liquid or it will lose its great, firm texture. If you want a vegetarian version, do skip the anchovies and use vegetable broth.
I was making this for the second time when I realized I didn’t have fresh parsley, so I grabbed a bag of baby arugula from the fridge and it was a happy amendment. In fact, it made me realize that chopped arugula is a great alternative to chopped parsley on any number of dishes, offering a different slightly bitter and bracing green note. I’ll be keeping arugula on hand for just this purpose.
BRAISED CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVIES AND CAPERS
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
1 large head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 anchovies, rinsed and minced
Splash dry white wine
1 cup less-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley or 1 cup baby arugula leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Nutrition information per serving: 84 calories; 43 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 2 mg cholesterol; 255 mg sodium; 7 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 4 g protein.
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