Welcome to 2017!  Yeah, it did feel like most of us got sucker-punched in the stomach towards the end of last year and it has taken a bit of time to recover from all that.   Well, we must put that behind us and soldier on, right?

So, in other news, V and I took a long-awaited trip to Italy towards the end of last year.  Rome and Florence are huge open-air museums, aren’t they?   While it tickled me to bits that I was walking on the same cobblestone pathways in Florence that Michelangelo and Da Vinci once stomped, V got quite a kick out of grand old Rome, being the history buff that he is.

And of course, the food (and drink) had quite a big role to play in rectifying our sour mood from 2016.   How could it not?  This is Italy we are talking about!  Food and wine are everything.  And then there is coffee – which is above everything!

 

 

 

Now, let me just say with all humility that it is not easy to impress a palate accustomed to the eclectic, fresh cuisine of California.  Also, the Mediterranean climate in CA yields approximately the same type of produce as the Tuscany region in Italy.   But food in Italy did reveal some secrets.

• Ingredients in dishes are typically very few, but as fresh and seasonal as can be. Basic ingredients like olive oil and black pepper are good quality and fragrant.  Artichokes were in season when we were in Florence and the little purple beauties were different from the variety from coastal California.
• Truffles are ugly little things with amazing flavor. Also, they are hugely pricey but totally worth it.  In fact, I have never seen V lap up a plate a pasta like he gobbled the truffle pasta in Florence.  The white truffle used for the sauce and shavings came from San Miniato in Tuscany, although different kinds of truffles grow all over Italy.
• V and I are not in to wine, but gosh, we died for the espressos and macchiatos. You pay less than a buck to get a shot at a “bar”, you gulp it down standing at the bar (perhaps with a cantuccini to dunk) and go on your merry way.  You do not dawdle and nurse that cup until the cows come home as we do here in the States.  (Yep! Bars serve shots of coffee in Italy and cafes serve food and wine!)
• However, you do dawdle and take your time at a meal. In fact, the check never came to our tables in restaurants until we asked for it.  We found small restaurants off the main tourist streets to grab quick, light and cheap meals.
• And on a sweet note, the gelato, like the coffee, is to die for. In fact, my motto during our visit was not to let a day go by without a shot of espresso and a scoop of gelato!
• And finally, we did not have any problems traveling as vegetarians.  The restaurants were willing to customize anything on their menu to accommodate us!

 

 

Back to 2017.  The year is off to a good start, weather-wise in California, yielding its fair share of winter rains and snow in the Sierras.   It has been cold unlike the past few winters which were rather temperate.   The ideal weather to turn on the oven!  So, armed with the bottle of truffle oil that we got from Florence, I switched on the oven!

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower Slabs on a Bed of Cauliflower Puree with Truffle Oil

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

• 1 head medium to large cauliflower, thoroughly rinsed under hot running water
• 2 medium white potatoes, washed and scrubbed
• 1½ to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1½ to 2 Tbsp Truffle oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Pull the extra leaves at the base of the cauliflower, and clean up the end by slicing off a sliver, while leaving it whole. Cut the cauliflower in to slabs, including the stem, starting from the center.  You will probably get 3-4 slabs, depending on the size of the cauliflower before it starts falling apart.   Cut the rest of the cauliflower in to small florets
• Toss the cauliflower florets with 1½ to 2 Tbsp olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper
• Layer it on one cookie sheet and put it in the oven
• On another cookie sheet, place the cauliflower slabs. Brush both sides well with the truffle oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and put it in the oven.  Throw the garlic cloves as well, skin and all, on this sheet
• Bake for 25 to 30 mins, turning over the slabs once in the middle
• Bring ¼ cup water to a boil in a saucepan.
• Cut the potatoes into small pieces, throw them in the boiling water and cook on low heat with a lid until the potatoes are done
• Remove the roasted cauliflower florets from the oven. Remove the garlic cloves and peel.
• In a blender, puree the potato, cauliflower and garlic with a little water if needed. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
• Spoon some of the cauliflower puree on a plate. Dot with a few drops of truffle oil.  Place one of the cauliflower slabs on top and serve.

 

 

A simple and elegant dish inspired by the minimalist ingredient concept we encountered on our trip to Italy!   The idea behind keeping the recipe simple, especially devoid of too many aromatics, is to make sure that the dish is all about the wonderful fragrance of the truffle oil!

I am glad 2016 is behind us.   I went back and reviewed some of the eating rules I had jotted down at the beginning of last year.  Those still look great for this year!