Cauliflower with Agrodolce

Agrodolce is a traditional sweet and sour sauce in Chinese cuisine. In transliteration, it is called tian suan jiang. Agrodolce is the Italian word for this kind of sauce; agro means sour and dolce means sweet. In this version, the vinegar and lemon constitute the sour part and the honey the sweet. The capers add complex saltiness, the mustard a gentle heat, the parsley freshness, the nuts texture and the raisins absorb the liquid and add texture and sweetness.

Cauliflower roasted until golden brown develops and warm and inviting nuttiness; this sweet and sour sauce compliments that nuttiness while transforming a simple roasted cauliflower dish into something complex and incredibly satisfying. Best of all, this is a healthy side and takes about 45 minutes to get it from fridge to table.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cored

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Agrodolce:

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon coarse mustard

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup toasted finely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

Cauliflower:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the cauliflower into 1 1/2 inch florets, then cut each lengthwise. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Arrange onto the baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Agrodolce:

Whisk the lemon juice and zest, oil, vinegar, honey and mustard until well combined. Add in the remaining ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes.

Serve the roasted cauliflower with the agrodolce and enjoy!

Comments

Samosas with Yogurt Sauce

I love exploring many kinds of cuisine in my kitchen because I can control the spice level, and in the case of this recipe, the use of cilantro. Cilantro lovers out there- sub it info the parsley here. I have the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, which limits my ability to enjoy some dishes in restaurants, but is easily rectified in my own kitchen. I hope you enjoy! Ingredients: 3 russet potatoes 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons curry powder 5 ounces peas Six 8 inch flour tortillas 4 ounces Greek yogurt Oil, salt, pepper, vinegar 4 tablespoons butter Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Scrub potatoes and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over high; uncover and cook until tenderDrain potatoes and transfer to a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in reserved saucepan over medium. Add chopped garlic and al

Raspberry Pomegranate Jam

Tis the season to be making homemade gifts! Pomegranates are in season and their juice is a festive deep ruby red color. I knew I had to make them into a jam to give away. Straight pomegranate flavor is a little tart for me; I added raspberries for the texture of their seeds and their sweetness. This is a very simple recipe to make and will yield 6 to 7 8 ounces jars of jam or 12 to 14 4 ounce jars, if you like to give away sample sizes during the holidays. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups pomegranate juice 1 cup mashed raspberries 7 cups sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/75 ounce package Sure Jell Method: Sterilize your jars and lids. Set aside. In a heavy bottomed large stock pot, add the pomegranate juice, raspberries and butter. Mix well. Add in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil then stir in the Sure Jell. Allow to boil hard for 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into the sterile jars, twist on the lids and pr

Peek-a-boo Squares

My grandma, Mimi, taught me this recipe. I used to make this with her and my mother as a child. It is my very favorite dessert. It is incredibly easy to make, and even easier to eat. My favorite part of making this as a child was dusting every bar generously with snowy white powdered sugar. My favorite version of this dessert uses canned blueberry pie filling; I vastly prefer Libby brand over the store brand. You can make blueberry pie filling from scratch with sugar, cornstarch, bleberries, etc. but using the canned stuff is easy in a pinch and is much for nostalgic for me. Plus, I don’t notice a vast improvement over my homemade blueberry pie filling and the Libby brand; it just takes me longer to put this dessert together. I have been known to whip up a pan of these Friday night and have them disappear by Saturday afternoon. Be warned, these things are addictive! Ingredients: 3 cups of all-purpose flour 2 cups of granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 sticks of

Watership Down Kitchen

Search This Blog