Cauliflower Puttanesca
The great fountain of knowledge that is Wikipedia credits Elbert Hubbard for coining the phrase “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” In 1915, Hubbard actually wrote “He picked up the lemons that fate had sent him and started a lemonade stand.” Since then, many authors have used some variation of this phrase to emphasize the importance of optimism when facing hardship. However, what if life hands you Cauliflower?? Cauliflowerade perhaps?? No, that would be disgusting.
But, the other night, I faced such a dilemma. As I began to prepare dinner, life handed me a head of cauliflower. Staring into the crisper drawer at that pale crown of cruciferous goodness, I silently screamed, “Damn you, life. Why must you be so difficult? I don’t have time to be creative. It is late and the family is hungry. What shall I do?” Just then a soft, gentle voice spoke to me. Maybe it was the wine or a culinary muse, but she said and I quote:
“Life isn’t to blame. You put yourself in this predicament. You should have gone to the store today. Instead, you spent hours listening to 80’s power ballads. Now, turn off Whitesnake, put on your big boy pants, and make dinner. You have some tomatoes, capers, olives, and pasta. Why not make Cauliflower Puttanesca?”
And so I did. Here is my delicious vegan recipe for CAULIFLOWER PUTTANESCA. Thank you, divine inspiration. Thank you, culinary gods. Sorry, Life. Didn’t mean to offend. I shall raise a toast in your honor…after I turn down the music and cinch up my pants. Meanwhile, you should head into the kitchen and whip up this heavenly dish. You, too, don’t want to offend the gastronomic deities…
Oil Free/Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 15 oz Can of Artichoke Hearts
- 2 Tbs Capers
- 12 Kalamata Olives (chopped)
- ½ Med Onion (diced)
- 6 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 2 Cups Cauliflower Florets
- 2 Cups Vegetable Broth
- ¼ Cup White Wine
- 8 oz Gluten Free Pasta
- 1 Tbs Fresh Parsley (minced)
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- Salt & Pepper to your taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Toss the cauliflower with 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Spread out the florets in an oven safe baking dish. Roast the florets in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and set aside…you have just roasted vegetables without any oil. Who knew that could be done? While the cauliflower roasts bring a large stockpot full of water to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. If you have no issues with Gluten, regular pasta works just the same.
As the cauliflower and pasta cook, rinse and drain your artichoke hearts. Depending on their size, cut them in half or quarters. Now place a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic with a ½ cup of vegetable broth until soft and fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Now add in the wine, remaining broth, capers, artichokes, tomatoes, and olives. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the mix for 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften. This allows all the flavors to combine and the alcohol to evaporate. Add in the pepper flakes and additional salt and pepper if needed. However, capers and olives are pretty salty, so I would just add in the pepper.
Drain your pasta and put it in the skillet along with your roasted cauliflower. Carefully toss everything to combine. Serve on a plate and garnish with the fresh parsley.
http://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/cauliflower-puttanesca/
Oil Free & Delicious
Dinner is ready thanks to a little divine intervention. So, raise a glass and toast the culinary gods. They work in mysterious ways. Because as Whitesnake so aptly puts it “it’s times like these, I can’t make it on my own…Is this love?” I believe it is. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
Hey Bob, Love your Blog. So cool. I, too, have pretty much become a vegan over the last few months. Your recipes are terrific. Love that you have found a passion in this.
Cheers, Cathy
Holy cow, this looks delicious! I am going to try this recipe over the next few days with a glass of wine. Maybe I’ll put some Whitesnake on while I cook the dish 🙂