Spices take cauliflower to a new level
Posted by Kim Davaz • 11/03/10 • 12:01am
Carl Davaz
Vegetables à la Greque comes together with a delicious complex flavor.
Cauliflower isn't a vegetable that gets a lot of attention. It's white. It's crunchy. It's on the bland side. It's good under a cheese sauce or pickled, but otherwise, you don't hear much about it.
This overlooked vegetable gets its chance to shine when combined with other vegetables and aromatic spices and herbs. I learned this dish from a Frenchman, which is why it is called Vegetables à la Greque (pronounced grek). I don't know what they call it in Greece, if it is even made in Greece.
Don't be afraid of the spices and the raisins. The dish really comes together with a delicious complex flavor. While it is intended as a side dish, the vegetables could be served over rice or couscous for a vegetarian main dish. A sprinkle of crumbled or cubed feta cheese would be a nice finishing touch.
Vegetables à la Greque
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound small button mushrooms (18 to 24)
- 6 scallions, trimmed and cut to about 2 inches in length from the white end
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
- Cleaned hearts of 6 small or 2 large artichokes cut in quarters (frozen baby artichokes or canned hearts are fine)
- 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and cubed, or 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup yellow raisins
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus a little more to add at end
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Chopped cilantro or chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat oil and coriander seeds in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, scallions, celery, cauliflower and artichoke hearts; saute until softened, but don't let them color.
Add tomatoes, raisins, tomato paste, white wine, lemon juice, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and allow to barely simmer until thoroughly cooked, 30 minutes or more. Season, adding a little extra-virgin olive oil and a bit more lemon juice.
Remove bay leaf. Top with chopped cilantro or parsley and drizzle with a little more extra-virgin olive oil. This is best served warm or at room temperature.
Kim Davaz of Eugene writes the biweekly Eating In column.
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