“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; the cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education” Mark Twain
(copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati)
One of my favorite ways to preserve memories of the season at our country house is to preserve fruits or veggies from that season but especially those that are a true standout..and one of my favorites this season is cauliflower..
Cauliflower has been called a vegetable that is’ humble but exquisite’ and you can usually find it fresh between Fall and early Spring (depending on what part of the planet you live in).
To conserve cauliflower choose the smaller ones, those are the ones you usually find now as the season is winding down.
Cavolfiori Sott’Aceto (Pickled Cauliflower)
(excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)
2 lbs fresh cauliflower
1 tblsp black peppercorns
1 small red hot pepper (pepperoncini)
white wine vinegar
salt to taste
Wash the cauliflower, remove leaves, and keep only the florets.. Place in a pot of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. Stir gently so as not to break the florets. Drain in a colander and run under cold water. Let dry and dry with paper towels.
Crush dried red pepper into small pieces (not with bare hands but with a utensil).
When the florets are dry, place florets in a glass jar that has been washed, sterilized and dried. Layer the florets and alternate pieces of dried red pepper and some black peppercorns.
Place enough white wine vinegar in a pan to cover cauliflower and bring to a boil. Ladle hot vinegar on top of cauliflower in jar and hermetically seal jar. This should be kept in a dry place away from light and can be kept for 6 months. Or tie a ribbon around the top and give as a flavorful gift!
For more great recipes and stories get your copy of the Award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition
How To Preserve Cauliflower | Cavolfiori Sott'Aceto | Pickled Cauliflower
