ORECCHIETTE WITH CAULIFLOWER AND OLIVES
INGREDIENTS: 350 gr. Orecchiette, 1 cauliflower, 1 jar of baked black olives, a handful of salted capers, a handful of parsley, 1 clove of garlic, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 or 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or pecorino cheese), salt, pepper or chilli pepper.
PROCEDURE: Wash the capers from the salt and chop them with the garlic and a part of the olives and the chilli pepper, if you like it. Place everything in a large pan with oil and heat over low heat for a few minutes. Put a pot of water with salt on the fire. Clean the cauliflower by removing the toughest outer leaves and the core. Divide the florets and, when the water boils, cook them 12-15 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the water with a slotted spoon and add it to the capers and olives dressing. Cook, over medium heat, for a few minutes, adding one or two ladles of cauliflower cooking water. Cook the pasta al dente in the same water, where the cauliflower has boiled. Drain and finish cooking in the dressing pan. Add the chopped parsley, the remaining whole olives, the grated Parmesan (or pecorino) and the pepper — instead of the chilli pepper-.
CROQUETTES AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD
INGREDIENTS: a medium cauliflower, 3 medium potatoes, a head of lettuce or radicchio, a handful of parsley, a clove of garlic, 1 egg, 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, a little extra olive oil, salt.
PROCEDURE: Boil the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher, remove the toughest leaves of the cauliflower, steam a part — about 300 grams — and keep the rest for the salad. In a bowl, beat the egg — whole — with the salt, add the cauliflower and break it with a fork, add the crushed potatoes, the Parmesan cheese, the minced garlic and parsley and the breadcrumbs. Form the croquettes and brown them in a non-stick pan greased with a little oil, turning them gently so as not to break them OR bake at 180 degrees on an oiled tray for 15-20 minutes. Wash and dry the lettuce or chicory (or both). Divide the cauliflower florets, season with oil and salt and serve as an “accompaniment” to the croquettes.
BITTERSWEET CAULIFLOWER AND RED TURNIPS
INGREDIENTS: a small cauliflower, one or two red turnips, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, salt, peppercorns,
PROCEDURE: remove the toughest leaves of the cauliflower and the core, divide the florets. Peel the red turnip and cut it into cubes, put a pot with a liter and a half of water on the fire and, when it reaches a boil, add all the ingredients of the recipe. Boil 15 minutes and drain. Drizzle with extra olive oil and any other salt
CAULIFLOWER AND MUSHROOM CREAM
INGREDIENTS: Everything you HAVEN'T used is cauliflower OR whole cauliflower, a potato, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 1 zucchini, 1 onion, 1 leek, a handful of mushrooms (alternatively 3 slices of good bread), a handful of parsley, 1 clove of garlic, salt, 2 tablespoons extra olive oil, 2 — 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
PROCEDURE: Wash the vegetables, peel the potato and cut everything into small pieces, cook with 1 liter of water over medium heat for 30 minutes with salt, whisk everything to form the cream or, better yet, pass through a vegetable grinder. Clean the mushrooms, cut them into slices and sauté them in a pan with a little oil and salt, season them with the minced garlic and parsley. ALTERNATIVELY: toast the bread cut into cubes and season it with the minced garlic, parsley and oil. Spread the cream on plates, season with Parmesan cheese and garnish with mushrooms or croutons.
FLAN WITH CAULIFLOWER SAUCE
INGREDIENTS: Everything you have NOT used is cauliflower, 2 potatoes, 2 ounces of mixed sheep ricotta, 1 egg (optional), 3 tablespoons of grated smoked ricotta, 3 tablespoons extra olive oil, salt, 1 lemon, nutmeg.
PROCEDURE: Boil the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Boil 1 liter of water with a little salt, dip the cut cauliflower into it and cook it for 20 minutes, OR steam until tender. Drain and squeeze well, blend. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the oil, grated lemon peel, grated nutmeg, salt and egg. Add the whipped cauliflower, potatoes, and smoked ricotta. After mixing everything well, fill the single-serve molds (or a baking dish) and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve the portions with the sauce.
CAULIFLOWER SAUCE
PROCEDURE:
Keep a few spoons of blended cauliflower (from the flan recipe) and mix it very well with a little oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of mixed sheep's ricotta and salt.