Pasta With Cauliflower Pine Nuts And Raisins Recipes

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH GOLDEN RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping after the first 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the pine nuts to a dry medium saute pan and toast over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes. Add the raisins and the butter, and season with salt. Cook until the butter has melted and coats the pine nuts and raisins. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
• Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter. Pour the pine nut-raisin mixture over the top.

SICILIAN PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place the raisins or currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. In another bowl combine the saffron with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let both sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Drain the raisins or currants and add, along with the saffron and its soaking liquid, cauliflower, pine nuts or almonds, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Check the sauce and if it seems dry add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Toss together and serve, sprinkled with pecorino and chopped basil leaves. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over each serving.

CAULIFLOWER WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the sherry for 15-30 minutes.
• Dry roast the pine nuts in a skillet and set aside.
• In a saucepan, cook the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket over boiling water, for approximately 3 minutes.
• In the same skillet you used to toast the pine nuts, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic. Be careful not to burn!
• Once garlic is lightly browned, add the cauliflower, raisins, sherry, and balsamic vinegar. *Cover skillet, and reduce heat to simmer.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes until cauliflower is fork tender but NOT mushy. *Another option is to increase heat to medium-high and brown, rather than simmer the cauliflower/raisin mixture.
• Transfer to serving bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Garnish with any remaining cooking liquid and toasted pine nuts.

CAULIFLOWER AND PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts, and toast, stirring frequently until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside in a small bowl.
• Place raisins in a small bowl. Cover with 1 cup warm water. Set aside to plump, about 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in the same large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cauliflower, and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add pepper flakes, anchovies, capers, and wine. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, drain raisins, discarding water. Add raisins; season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, 10 to 12 minutes, until cauliflower is fork-tender. Uncover, and let liquid reduce slightly over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and rigatoni, and cook until pata is just tender, about 10 minutes or following label instructions. Drain; toss into warm cauliflower mixture. Just before serving, toss pasta with basil and pine nuts. Garnish with roasted pepper.

PINE NUT AND RAISIN PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Set the pasta water to cook with a copious amount of salt.
• Soak the raisins in the stock. Microwave them on high for 1 minute, if desired. Set aside.
• Put the oil, garlic and chili's into an 8-inch skillet with a generous pinch of salt, (and black pepper, if required).
• Set the heat to medium or medium-high, sizzle, without stirring, until the garlic becomes colored a faint gold.
• Add the raisins with their liquid, the mixture will bubble abruptly.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the wine.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little water, if desired.
• Transfer to a tossing bowl and pour in the sauce, add parsley if desired. Toss well. Coat each with the sauce.
• The raisins will likely gather in the basin, for presentation purposes, it is wise, to transfer the hot, cooked pasta to a serving dish.