Makes two servings of pilaf, with enough cauliflower left over for another meal
Ingredients:
1 large head of fresh cauliflower
1/4 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 a small onion or 1/4 large)
2 tablespoons pine (pignola) nuts
2 tablespoons raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon olive oil, separated into two 1.5-teaspoon servings
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Note: I used pine nuts, but walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and pecans would all be very tasty.
Instructions:
1. Make the Fouscous.
Wash the cauliflower and break it into florets. Cut off the stem part. The stems can be chewy and unpleasant, and they don’t cooperate with the food processor. The processing of the cauliflower has to be done in batches to get the right consistency. Sorry! If you want deliciousness, you’re gonna have to do a little work.
Place a handful of florets in a food processor and PULSE until the cauliflower looks like couscous. (If you don’t know what I mean, look at this.) Dump that batch into a bowl and repeat until all of the florets have been reduced to cauliflower dust. Measure about 3 cups for now, and put the rest in the fridge for later.
2. Sautée the onions.
Heat 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the onions and dried fruit, if you’re going that way. (And I recommend you do… like, plan your other fruit that day around this pilaf. For real. Or leave the fruit out if you must. I made this without the pine nuts and fruit in a pinch, and it was almost as good.)
Sautée the onions and nuts and fruit over medium-ish heat until the onions and nuts begin to brown. Be gentle and give them time. The natural sugars in the onions will carmelize into a deep, rich flavor.
3. Add the spices and cauliflower.
Mix the spices together in a little cup. To replace their fabulousness, they need to be in embraced by some fat, so here’s what you do: Push the onions to the side of the pan, and add the remaining 1.5 teaspoons of oil. Let it heat up a bit, then add the spices and stir stir stir everything together: onions, nuts, oil, spices, all co-mingling in happy harmony. When things get all fragrant, toss in the cauliflower and stir stir stir. Sprinkle the whole shebang with salt and pepper. Stir stir stir.