I didn’t mean to come home from Madison with a cauliflower the size of my head.
But there it was – gloriously purple and calling to me. Never mind that I know full well that YA is going to be gone for two weeks. Never mind that we still had the entire capitol to walk around with this monster in my bag. Never mind that I only brought my smaller cooler for dragging stuff home and I had already bought 4 loaves of Stella’s Chili Cheese Bread. I had to have it.
It’s ways too big for just one recipe of anything (I put the can of water next to it for the photo so you can see how big it is). The first thing I’m making is Savory Cauliflower Salad from Twelves Months of Monastery Salads by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette.
| Salad | Vinaigrette |
| 1 good-sized head cauliflower, cut into florets | ¼ c. olive oil |
| 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, coarsely chopped | 3 Tbsp. hazelnut oil |
| 2 shallots, finely chopped | 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar |
| 2 Tbsp. capers, drained | 1 tsp. Dijon mustard |
| 1 tsp. chopped fresh or dried tarragon | |
| Salt & pepper to taste |
- To make the salad, put the florets in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, cover, and steam until tender, 15-20 minutes, o cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain and allow them to cool.
2. Put the cauliflower in a good-sized salad bowl and add the eggs, shallots and capers. Toss gently to combine.
3. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a measuring cup or small bowl until thickened. Pour over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
Not sure what I’ll do with the other half of this giant. Maybe a Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower. Maybe a soup.
What was your last impulsive purchase/acquisition?
Trail Baboon 
Thanks for the recipe! I have half a head of white cauli in the fridge.
Probably that Black Box of Deep and Dark Cabernet. Thinking – there must be something else…
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If an impulsive purchase is one not specifically planned, then it would have to be the $665 we spent on used books at Chester Creek Books in Duluth.
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That’s$65…
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I wondered.
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🙂 🙂
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Considering some of the esoteric and rare books that Bill favors, $665 didn’t seem out of line to me….
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Chester Creek Books has a lot of books and many of interest to me but few of them are esoteric (by my standards).
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Rise and Shine, Baboons
The area of my life that is impulsive is eating food. When there are sweets around I eat them. Last night at work I conducted my last skills training group aaaannnddd they brought cupcakes. I cannot eat one. I acquired 4 of them. The chocolate frosting was very good. Sigh. And I loved it.
I am not a drinker, spender, gambler. I am an impulsive sweet eater.
That purple cauliflower is really pretty. A certain puppy is awaiting her walk. She has brought me every toy in her stash trying to engage me in something. Anything.
2 days.
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1 1/4” of rain in my rain gauge this a.m.
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I don’t have a rain gauge but when I went out earlier this morning, I noticed quite a bit of water in the little plastic pool in the backyard. It was dry as a bone yesterday.
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We had lots of steady rain during the night. Our 70 gallon barrel is completely full this morning. Fortunately we didn’t get any hail.
How did you fare, Ben? I find myself concerned about all of the small farmers in our area and how they and their crops are doing.
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Sorry, I’m a day late! I had 2 1/2” in mine!
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Weekend before last, the Modern Library 1918 editions of Lord Dunsany’s “Book of Wonder” and “A Dreamer’s Tales and Other Stories” in near fine condition for $20 each at Dreamhaven. I went to Art at St. Kates and the Minnehaha Art Fair and didn’t buy a thing, but as the t-shirt says, in a bookstore I have no shelf control.
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I was at the St. Kate’s art fair as well. Although I was sorely tempted, I didn’t buy.
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O.T. – Just read the terribly sad news that Sinéad O’Connor has died at the age of 56. Her short life was full of strife and struggle with mental illness. May she be at peace wherever she is now.
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We bought caiflower last week at the local farmers market, as well as turnips. The turnips were an impulse buy for Husband.
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Cauliflower Salad Update. It is SPLENDID! I was correct though – I have enough cauliflower leftover for another dish. But too hot today to spend any more time in the kitchen!
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Plantains. They were on the same shelve as bananas. Ripe bananas? Nope. Oops! My mistake.
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I’ve got some cauliflower with dark spots. Is it still good?
Last week I ordered roasted cauliflower at a baseball bar. It was excellent. It’s all about the sauce.
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Sure, just remove all the dark spots.
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I use a scrubby whenever I get a dark spot on a cauliflower
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And if I cover it with barbecue sauce?
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Or melted butter. (better if it’s cooked…)
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Cheese covers a multitude of imperfections.
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My impulse purchases are frequent but small, so I tend to not remember them. I think the last one was a $5 purse from a garage sale.
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