Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into bite-sized florets
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 20 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
Vinaigrette
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 15 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 454 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 34 mg
- Calcium
- 13 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 4 mg
- Phosphorus
- 4 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 63 mcg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 15 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in a separate large bowl.
Add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water. Blanch for 2-3 minutes until just tender but still crisp (al dente).
Immediately drain the cauliflower and plunge into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain thoroughly and pat dry to ensure the dressing adheres.
While cauliflower cools, whisk together red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly to create a stable emulsion.
Add the dried cauliflower, diced red onion, capers, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Toss well to coat.
Let the salad rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the cauliflower to absorb the dressing.
Chef's Notes
- For a warm salad variation, skip the ice bath and toss the hot, drained cauliflower directly into the dressing; this absorbs more flavor but loses some crunch.
- Cut the cauliflower florets into uniform sizes (roughly 3-4cm) to ensure even cooking.
- If the red onion tastes too sharp, soak the diced onion in ice water for 10 minutes before adding to the salad.
- Leftovers make excellent sandwich fillers or toppings for grain bowls.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Flavors improve after 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Cauliflower is mushy and waterlogged
Cause: Overcooked during blanching
Fix: Cannot be fixed strictly, but mixing gently prevents it from turning into mash
Prevention: Test texture after 2 minutes; transfer to ice bath immediately when al dente
Cultural Context
This style of vegetable preparation, 'chou-fleur vinaigrette', is a staple of French bistro cuisine. It elevates a humble brassica through the technique of blanching and the application of a classic moutarde (mustard) emulsion, demonstrating the French philosophy that simple ingredients require precise execution.
