New York Times Contributor Hetty McKinnon recently wrote about Cauliflower Piccata, which at first sounds like a sweet way to avoid veal, but really, the thought of a lemon and caper sauce is very welcome and her dish is gorgeous. I’ve made it several times and then moved on to David Tanis’ almost similar olive and anchovy dish. Both chefs used garbanzo beans. Both are worth making.
Marcellas are a bit tender, but they pair perfectly with the cauliflower and bright, happy sauce. This is inspired by both McKinnon and Tanis, plus maybe Judy Rogers and The Zuni Cookbook‘s Manifesto on Salsa Verde.
- 1 small cauliflower, broken into bite-sized florets
- 2 anchovy fillets, chopped
- 1/2 to 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- zest of a lemon
- Juice from a lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pepper
- salt to taste (optional)
- 1 cup cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Marcella beans (or Garbanzo or Alubia Blanca beans)
- Cook the cauliflower in lightly simmering salted water for about 8 minutes or until done, being careful not to overcook.
- Place the chopped anchovies on a cutting board and mash them with the blade of a large chef’s knife, crushing against the board until you have a coarse paste, or use a mortar and pestle. In a mixing bowl, combine with the parsley, garlic, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Mix gently and test for flavor. Add salt if necessary. The mixture should be strong and aggressive as it’s tossed with bland cauliflower and beans. Depending on your taste, you can add a little more lemon juice.
- Pour the sauce over the cauliflower pieces until well coated. Add the cooked marcellas and gently fold under. (If you’re using garbanzos, alubia blanca, with another firmer bean, you don’t have to be so gentle.) Serve warm or at room temperature.
For 4 people as a side dish and 2 people as a main course