Cauliflower used to be the unsung hero of the kitchen. At The Roundhouse, our cauliflower comes from Hepworth Farms—it’s so fresh, when you pinch a floret it doesn’t crumble, it squeaks. It’s just beautiful.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Pickled red onions
- 4 red onions, sliced very thin
- 2 2/5 cups distilled vinegar
- 2 2/5 cups sugar
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 star anise
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 stick cinnamon
- 4 allspice
Meyer lemon-olive relish
- 3 Meyer lemons
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey (separate)
- 2 tablespoons black Taggiasca olives, julienned
- 1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
Cauliflower purée
- 1 white cauliflower, cut into florets
- 6 cups water
- 4 cups milk
Roasted tri-color cauliflower
- 3/4 pound purple cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3/4 pound green cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3/4 pound orange cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Scallops
- 1 1/2 poundslarge sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Pickled red onions
- Place all ingredients except the onions in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Turn off heat and let cool. Strain, reserving the liquid.
- Return the liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Place onion slices in boiling liquid and stir for 30 seconds.
- Strain the onions, reserving the liquid. 5. Allow onions and liquid to cool. Combine and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
Meyer lemon relish
- Cut off both ends of the lemons.
- Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the lemons as thinly as possible. Discard the seeds, but save and mix all juices and skin.
- Chop the lemon very fine, saving all juice.
- In a bowl, mix all ingredients well.
Cauliflower purée
- Boil milk and water. Add a little salt to taste.
- Add white cauliflower florets to the liquid and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until cauliflower is very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower, reserving the liquid.
- Put cauliflower in a blender and puree, adding the reserved liquid little at a time until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm.
Roasted tri-color cauliflower
Preheat oven to 375° F.
- In a large bowl, combine the green, purple and orange cauliflower florets. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Spread out on a large, well-oiled roasting pan and bake at 375 ̊F about 20 minutes, turning once. Florets should be tender with a little bite. Keep warm.
Sautéed sea scallops
Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat an oven-proof sauté pan over high heat.
- Season scallops liberally with salt and pepper.
- Put oil in pan. When hot but not smoking, add scallops in a single layer. Do not overcrowd pan.
- Sauté to a nice golden color, turn scallops over and place pan in the oven. Cook about another minute-and-a-half, until cooked to desired doneness.
To Serve: Pour a pool of cauliflower purée in the center of 4 plates. Top with the tri-color cauliflower. Arrange scallops around, and spoon a little lemon relish over and around the scallops.
