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Cauliflower Carpaccio with Pine Nut Dressing and Golden Raisins
(recipe, Kelly Myers)
Introduction
Really fresh cauliflower has a nutty flavor with a spicy kick at the end. There is even a hint of earthiness, like you’d find in a mushroom. Provided it is at the peak of freshness, cauliflower is so intriguing in raw form that cooking it represents a missed opportunity. Here, slicing it very thin exposes cauliflower’s moist interior to a pine-nut dressing. A sprinkle of cayenne is optional.
Ingredients
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. pine nuts, lightly toasted, divided
- ½ lb. cauliflower
- Pinch of cayenne powder (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
Steps
- In a small bowl, stir a little salt into the lemon juice until dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil. Add the black pepper.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush 3 Tablespoons of the pine nuts until they resemble breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, finely chop the nuts.) Stir the crushed pine nuts into the oil mixture.
- Remove any of the cauliflower’s stem that extends beyond the bottom of the head, approximately 1 inch. Starting on one side of the head, using a mandoline if you have one, slice the cauliflower crosswise into ¼-inch pieces.
- Arrange the cauliflower on a serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pine-nut dressing over the top. Sprinkle over cayenne, if using. Garnish the salad with parsley and remaining pine nuts.
Note
Read more about using a mandoline in Kelly Myers' "Slice and dice."