Winter Cauliflower Salad

From inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Adapted from the recipe in The Glorious Vegetables of Italy)

Since I was cooking for two, I cut the recipe in half. I won’t do that again because this is the kind of salad that I would love to have again the next day. Here is the full recipe that serves 6 – 8. You can halve it if you wish.

Serves 6 – 8

1 medium head cauliflower (1 lb/455g), trimmed and cut into florets

1 large celery rib, sliced on the bias

1 cup (115g) coarsely chopped pitted olives, preferably a mixture of green and black

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup (30g) diced red onion

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped bottled sun-dried tomatoes (or slow-roasted tomatoes)

1 fresh chile pepper, very hot or mildly hot, your preference, minced (I used a seeded serrano chile.)

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (I found ¼ cup to be sufficient.)

3 – 4 oz (85 – 115g) gorgonzola piccante, crumbled

1. Put a steamer basket with the cauliflower over boiling water. Cover and steam for about 4 minutes. Remove the steamer from the pot.

2. Put the celery, olives, parsley, garlic, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and chile pepper in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and toss the salad well.

3. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and toss again so they are well distributed.

4. Add ¼ cup of olive oil and toss the salad. Taste to see if you need more salt or olive oil.

5. Cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.

6. Just before serving, toss in the gorgonzola crumbles.