Romanesco with Oil-Cured Olives and Anchovies

This dish is much more than a recipe to me. Together with braised sweet and sour cabbage and braised rapini, it was present at every Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinner of my childhood and into adulthood. It’s my mother’s creation and it may very well be the dish that is most responsible for my lifelong love affair with vegetables. And olives. And anchovies. Mom made this with standard white cauliflower, but I can’t resist beautiful green Romanesco, with its Fibonacci-patterened florets.

By the way, the cauliflwer gets better as it sits. You can make it a day in advance, and then warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop just until heated through. (Recipe slightly adapted from The Glorious Vegetables of Italy.)

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
Kosher or sea salt
1 medium to large head Romanesco cauliflower, or standard cauliflower (about 1 pound/500 g), cut into bite-sized florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
1/2 cup (25 g) pitted oil-cured olives, halved
1 tin Rizzoli alici in salsa piccante, or 6 to 8 best-quality imported Italian or Spanish anchovy fillets in olive oil
1 scant tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are barely tender (no need to wait for the water to return to a boil before timing). Drain them in a colander and st aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Cook, pressing down on the garlic to release its fragrance, until it is sizzling but not yet browned. Add the olives, anchovies, and capers, and mix everything together, pressing down lightly with a wooden spoon or spatula to mash up the anchovies and olives a bit.

3. Add the cauliflower to the pan, and gently toss to combine everything. Lower the heat, cover, and cook, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes, or until the florets are tender but not mushy.

4. Raise the heat to medium-high and sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar, depending on your taste. Cook, stirring, for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the vinegar has been absorbed. Taste and add more salt if you like—though between the olives, capers, and anchovies you probably won’t need to. Remove from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving.