Best Insalata Di Rinforzo Recipes

Insalata di Rinforzo image

Provided by Nigella Lawson : Food Network

Time 25m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

4 tablespoons coarse salt (recommended: Maldon)
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
3 stalks celery, cut on a diagonal into 3/4-inch pieces
10 ounces pickling onions, peeled after soaking in hot water
2 yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch thick strips
2 red peppers, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch thick strips
1 fennel bulb, sliced
6 red chile peppers, left whole
7 ounces pitted olives (black, green, or a mixture)
2 tablespoons capers
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bottle white wine vinegar
1 bottle olive oil (not extra-virgin)

Steps:

Put 16 cups of water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the cauliflower florets and cook them until tender-crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the cauliflower florets with a slotted spoon and plunge them straight into a bowl of iced water.
Pour out half of the boiling water and add the white wine vinegar, remaining salt, fennel seeds, and garlic cloves. Bring the pan back to a boil and add the celery, onions, peppers, fennel, and whole chiles; cook for about 10 minutes until tender. Refresh the vegetables in the same way, plunging them into iced water; when they are cold, drain them along with the cauliflower florets.
In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower and other vegetables with the garlic, olives and capers. Whisk together the vinegar and oil for the dressing and pour over the salad. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chopped parsley. Combine everything really well, which is easiest done using your hands. At this point you have a pickled vegetable salad which serves 8 generously, or you can stuff everything into wide-necked sterilized canning jars and pour in a mixture of half vinegar and half olive oil to cover the vegetables.

Insalata di Rinforzo image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories side-dish

Time 20m

Yield 8 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 (2-pound) head cauliflower
3 (16-ounces each) jars giardiniera, drained
1 (15-ounce) can baby corn, drained and rinsed
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
1 (7.5-ounce) jar baby pearl onions, drained
1 (7-ounce) jar green olives, drained
1 (6-ounce) jar pitted kalamata olives, drained
1 (4-ounce) jar capers, drained
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Pour enough water (about 2 cups) into a large wide pot to come 1-inch up the sides. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the whole head of cauliflower to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and steam until a skewer inserts easily into the core of the cauliflower, about 8 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to the center of a 16 to 20-inch-diameter platter. Set aside to cool completely.
Arrange the giardiniera, corn, and roasted bell peppers in piles around the cauliflower. Sprinkle the onions and olives over the vegetables. Sprinkle the capers over.
Whisk the oil, vinegar, and black pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, and serve. The salad can be prepared ahead. Cover the salad and refrigerate it overnight. Bring the salad to room temperature before serving.