Cauliflower Neapolitan Salad
Insalate or Salads are abundant throughout Italy and can be served as an antipasto to start the meal, an accompaniment to the main course or served as a separate course after the entrée. Fresh tender vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, French beans, artichokes etc are often served cold as a salad with a dressing of seasoned oil and lemon juice. This version is with cauliflower. A typical dressing consists of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice or wine vinegar with salt, pepper, crushed garlic, chopped herbs and sometimes mashed anchovy fillets. The recipe below has a reduced quantity of oil but if a lower calorie content is not essential, the olive oil can be increased.
Capers are the edible bud and fruit of a shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region. Bottled pickled capers and small cans of anchovy fillets are available in specialty stores. Even after opening they can be stored in the fridge.
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 4 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 1 tbsp capers
- 100 g black olives
- 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15ml) wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt + extra salt for cooking the cauliflower
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- Break cauliflower into florets and wash thoroughly in several changes of water. Cook until tender in boiling salted water. Drain.
- Whisk the oil, wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper together.
- Add cooked cauliflower and toss.
- Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with olives & chopped anchovies (optional) and capers.