Recipe: Smothered Cauliflower (Italian)

SMOTHERED CAULIFLOWER

"This recipe is from Nunzio San Fillipo, a cook at a stately farm in Sicily. He suggests mixing leftovers with al dente pasta."

1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large heads cauliflower, cut into florets with stems
4 anchovy fillets, minced
3/4 cup raisins
12 oil-cured black olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
1/2 cup hearty red wine
1/2 cup gently packed flat-leaf parsley leaves (for garnish)

Scatter half the onion slices over the bottom of a medium-size deep skillet. Arrange half the cauliflower florets over the onion, stems toward the center, so that when you look in the pan, you see simply florets. Sprinkle the anchovies, raisins, olives and 3 tablespoons of the oil over the cauliflower.

Arrange the remaining cauliflower, stems down, over the top, pressing the florets down firmly atop the filling. The cauliflower will mound up over the top of the pan. Scatter the remaining onions over the cauliflower and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 cup water and salt to taste. Loosely cover the skillet with aluminum foil, place over medium heat and cook, checking often to make sure the cauliflower isn't sticking. If it is, add water, a tablespoon at a time. As it cooks, press on it so that it sinks slightly into the pan. As soon as you can (when it has sunk enough), remove the foil, cover with a lid that fits over the cauliflower and inside the skillet, and add 4 pounds of weight to that to press the cauliflower as it cooks.

Adjust the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, checking the cauliflower occasionally, until it is soft and nearly cooked through, about 1 1/4 hours.

Remove the weight and lid. Pour the wine over the cauliflower and cook until it is completely tender and the cooking liquid is reduced by about two-thirds and darkened to a deep caramel color, about 40 minutes more.

Place a large, shallow serving bowl, top side down, over the skillet and quickly invert it, so the cauliflower and its juices drop into the bowl. Let the cauliflower cool to room temperature.

Just before serving, mince the parsley and sprinkle it over the cauliflower.

Servings: 8 to 10
Source: Italian Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis