Cauliflower Piccata with Smoked Olives

If you are like me and trying desperately to incorporate more vegetables into your diet but don't want to just have a salad this Cauliflower Piccata recipe is perfect for you! Rich and buttery with acidity from the lemon, brininess from the capers and smokiness from the olives make this a delight for your tastebuds!

I first came across this recipe on the Make it Dairy Free website and decided to play around and see if our smoked olives would be a good fit. After some tweaking I must say we have a winner!  Up to you if you want make it vegan with plant based butter or have it vegetarian and use dairy, it will turn out beautifully either way. You can of course use regular Castelvetrano olives but I have to be honest the hint of smoke takes this dish to another level, and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased, lol!

Without further ado, the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 heads of Cauliflower, cut into 1/2 inch planks
• 6 tbsp plant based or regular butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small shallots finely diced 
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (approx 2)
• 3 tbsp capers
• 1 jar either FUME-eh Smoked Pitted Castelvetranos, or if you like the pits,  FUME-eh Smoked Gourmet Mix drained
• Chopped Parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Cauliflower:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut cauliflower into 1/2 inch planks or if you prefer cut into florets.
3. Place cauliflower onto a baking sheet making sure not to overcrowd.
4. Drizzle the cauliflower with some olive oil and brush it to make sure it is coated, then sprinkle with salt, and pepper.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes until edges are slightly crisp and browned. Flip over and keep cooking until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Sauce:

1. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan.
2. Add shallots and cook until golden. About 3-5 minutes.
3. Deglaze the pan by adding in wine. Let reduce 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, lemon juice, capers, and olives. Bring to a simmer and cook another 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Finish the sauce by reducing heat, whisking in 4 tbsp of cold 'butter' until fully combined and slightly thickened. Remove from heat taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Place cauliflower onto a large serving platter overlapping slightly and pour over the piccata sauce, sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately!

Hope you enjoy and please take a picture of your creations and tag on Facebook or Instagram