This recipe is made to bring a spark of summer even during the coldest months of the year: the sweetness and tenderness of the roasted cauliflower are complemented by the brightness and crunchiness of this pesto. If you love almonds, anchovies, and caperberries, this is the recipe for you. It’s super easy, yet extremely tasteful and satisfying.
Adapted from The New York Times.
Ingredients
SERVES: 4 to 6 people
TIME: About 1 hour and half
1 cauliflower
1/3 of a cup of Sicilian almonds (50 grams/1.7 oz)
4 anchovies, filleted and washed
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for basting
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/3 cup of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chili peppers
2 tablespoons of capers or caperberries, soaked overnight
Sea salt
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Discard the outer leaves from the cauliflower, cut off the bottom of the stem and the hard core of the cauliflower, near the bottom. Leave the main stem intact and make sure not to cut through any of the florets.
2. Put the cauliflower in a cast-iron skillet or on a baking sheet, drizzle it with EVOO, and rub it over the cauliflower until evenly coated. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Place the cauliflower in the oven, core side down, and cook until very tender and nicely browned (at least 1 hour).
3. In a pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking often, until lightly golden and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool.
4. Clean and fillet the anchovies, rinse them underwater, and set them aside on a paper towel.
5. Drain capers or soaked caperberries and pat them dry.
6. Combine anchovies, capers, almonds, parsley, garlic, and chili pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth. At the very end, add EVOO, vinegar. Pulse a few more times.
7. Once the cauliflower is cooked, cut into wedges and serve with a spoon of pesto around each wedge.