Spring & Summer Salad Series: Is a Salad Without Lettuce Still a Salad?

Is a salad without lettuce still a salad? Yes! Absolutely. A salad is a cold dish of mixed cooked or raw veggies. This Cauliflower Salad is the perfect example and is perfect for picnics and summer BBQs!

Insalata di Cavolfiore. Say it with me now! In-sa-la-ta dee ca-vol-fee-or-ee.

Great! You just said Cauliflower salad in Italian! And now I'm going to share with you how to make it and it will become one of your go to salads to bring to a picnic or a summer BBQ.

A little background about this recipe:

It is not my recipe. Nope! I did not come up with this. It is from my absolute favorite recipe book "The Food of Southern Italy" and I would say its the recipe I make most often.

It's a snap to put together and is unique for sure. No one else is bringing this salad to a picnic or summer BBQ (except you!).

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed and cut into small pieces.*

8 anchovy filets, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley

3 tablespoons capers

12 Gaeta olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil **

*You can use frozen cauliflower and let that thaw int he fridge to avoid the boiling step.

**Be sure to buy "first cold pressed" extra virgin olive oil for best quality and that the bottle is dark. Light makes olive oil go rancid.

Directions:

Boil plenty of salted water in a large pan. Add the cauliflower, and cook for about 5 minutes. Or if skipping this step and using thawed out frozen cauliflower, put the pieces into a large salad bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients and carefully but thoroughly mix the salad. Serve it cool but not cold.

Make it a theme and bring this cauliflower salad with some great, crusty bread and roasted garlic spread.

Another option, serve it with your favorite grilled fish and other vegetables or a starchier side.

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