Caramelized cauliflower slices with pine nuts, capers, and raisins
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
- Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with hot tap water, and set aside to let the raisins plump up.
- Cut the cauliflower from top to bottom into quarters. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Add enough cauliflower slices to cover the bottom of the skillet and cook until lightly browned and caramelized on both sides. Arrange the slices, overlapping slightly, in the prepared dish. Repeat with the rest of the cauliflower, adding more oil as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs, pine nuts, and garlic and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until the crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer into a medium bowl. Drain the raisins and add to the bread crumb mixture. Stir in the capers, vinegar, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the cauliflower and serve hot.
- Variation: The recipe also works with those miniature heads of colorful cauliflower. If the heads are no larger than a baseball, leave them whole; otherwise, cut them in half lengthwise. Skip the browning step and simply roast until tender.