Cauliflower with Toasted Crumbs

Maggie's Kitchen will soon be available again in paperback and to celebrate, we're sharing this fantastic recipe for jazzed up cauliflower. With just a few extra ingredients you can take the usual boiled vegetable to a new level with toasted sourdough crumbs and anchovies. 

Maggie says, 'Cauliflower is a vegetable I enjoy so much that I feel it actually needs nothing more than a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a smattering of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to be utterly delicious. But if you want to serve cauli as a dish in its own right then go the extra mile, as I've done here, by adding the crunch of breadcrumbs and the pungent saltiness of anchovies.'

Cauliflower with Toasted Crumbs

Serves 4 as an accompaniment or entree

1 small head cauliflower, cut into 2 cm florets
1 head garlic, cloves separated
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups coarse sourdough breadcrumbs (made from about 1/2 loaf)
1x45g tin anchovies, drained
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flatleaf parsley
1/4 cup grated pecorino, to serve 

Method

1. Blanch cauliflower in a saucepan of boiling salted water, then remove with a slotted spoon. Blanch garlic cloves in the same pan for 5 minutes, then drain and peel. 
    
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan over low heat, then sauté garlic for 7 minutes or until golden and almost cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add remaining olive oil, lemon thyme and cauliflower florets to the pan and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes or until cauliflower is golden and cooked through. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring until golden and crisp, then add anchovies, parsley and garlic and stir to combine. 
    
3. Add grated pecorino, then serve. 
    

Maggie's Kitchenby Maggie Beer - Photography by Simon Griffiths