Roasted Cauliflower Agrodolce Recipe with Raisin-Sherry Butter and Parmesan Cheese | What’s Cooking

Since making this roasted-cauliflower recipe two weeks ago for The Thread, I’ve already made it again for a dinner party. This dish—served at our Bazille restaurants—elevates a humble brassica to a whole new level of delicious. The sherry-raisin butter is sweet and pleasantly sour with the addition of a mild but refined good, aged sherry—and would be equally delicious as a spread for crostini, or anywhere you’d want a flavorful compound butter. Parmesan cheese and herby breadcrumbs add a nuttiness and textural freshness that make this side dish even more inviting. And then there’s my favorite, the fried capers. While it may seem an unnecessary extra step, shallow frying half of the capers makes them tiny, crunchy salt bombs, which adds a quick-to-achieve pro finesse—especially nice if you’re entertaining.

Cauliflower Agrodolce
From Nordstrom Bazille Restaurants
(Serves 6)

Ingredients
3/4 cup golden raisins, divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons aged sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced in 1/4-inch cubes, at room temperature
2 pounds (about 2 medium-sized heads) cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed, divided
Canola oil
3/4 cup panko Japanese-style bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring raisins and water to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor (or use an immersion blender); purée until smooth. Allow purée to cool.

2. Arrange cauliflower florets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (or divide between two baking sheets, if needed). Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then toss to coat florets evenly. Transfer to oven and roast until lightly golden brown and nearly completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to a small sauté pan, add enough oil to coat the bottom approximately 1/4 inch. Heat over medium heat until rippling. Carefully add 3 tablespoons capers to hot oil and fry until lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove with a fine-mesh skimmer and transfer to a paper towel to drain and cool.

4. Add butter cubes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to now-cooled raisin purée. Pulse or mash ingredients with a fork until well combined, but not smooth.

5. When cauliflower florets are lightly golden, add the remaining 3 tablespoons capers and raisins to the baking sheet. Continue roasting until florets are golden brown and tender throughout, about 5-10 minutes more. Remove from oven and add the raisin-sherry butter and bread crumbs, then toss to evenly coat.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with bread crumbs, Parmesan, crispy capers and herbs. Serve immediately.

Try these recipes and others at a Nordstrom restaurant near you, and find more recipes to make at home in our What’s Cooking series and Nordstrom cookbooks (available in selected Nordstrom restaurants and Ebars).

Have a favorite dish or beverage from our restaurants or cookbooks that you’d like to see featured? Let us know in the comments!

—Jeff Powell (Photos and Intro)

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