Pickled Cauliflower

with Lemon

• • • Makes 3 pints • • •

After years of bad press, cauliflower is finally getting the love it deserves, in restaurants, in cookbooks, and on blogs. Italians have always appreciated its sweet, slightly sulfuric flavor, and my mom served it often with dinner, dressed with olive oil and lemon, or sometimes in a rich gratin. Cauliflower is a central ingredient in Classic Giardiniera (page 61), the ubiquitous mixed vinegary pickle that turns up on many an antipasto platter. But I’m so fond of it that I’ve decided it deserves its own pickle.

3 medium heads cauliflower

2 cups (473 g) white wine vinegar

1 cup (237 g) dry white wine, such as Orvieto, Pecorino, or Soave

1 cup (237 g) water

4 strips lemon peel (no white pith)

1 bay leaf

1½ tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment

3 sterilized 1-pint jars and their lids

Basic water-bath canning equipment (see page 15)

1 • Trim the cauliflower and cut the heads into bite-size florets. You should have about 8 cups (2 pounds/907 g) florets after trimming.

2 • Combine the vinegar, wine, water, lemon peel, bay leaf, sugar, salt, and peppercorns in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower to the pot, cover, and cook for 1 minute; the water may not return to a boil. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Reserve the brine.

3 • Pack the cauliflower tightly into the jars and add 1 tablespoon of the oil to each. Pour the brine over the cauliflower, leaving ½ inch headspace. Make sure you get a few peppercorns in each jar. Use a bubble remover or a clean chopstick to dislodge any bubbles. Screw the lids on tightly and process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath (see Water-Bath Canning, page 15).

4 • Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place and let the cauliflower cure for 1 week before serving. The cauliflower will keep for up to 1 year, though it may eventually lose its crisp texture. Store any jars that fail to seal properly in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.

Variation  • Try pickling purple cauliflower for dramatic effect. The florets turn magenta when plunged into the brine and eventually they turn the brine bright pink as well.