CAULIFLOWER "BISTECCHE" WITH PANCETTA AND CAPER BERRIES

Cauliflower

For this recipe, it's best to choose a head of cauliflower with a very dense crown so that the "steaks" will hold together during cooking. However, even if they separate a bit, the dish is still delicious.

Provided by Carey Savona

Yield Makes 4 side-dish or first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1/2 cup salt-packed capers*
5 (1/4-inch-thick) slices pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon; 5 oz), cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small head cauliflower (1 3/4 pound)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pinches of sugar
2 tablespoons water
8 drained bottled caper berries*, rinsed
Garnish: coarse sea salt (preferably sel gris); chopped fresh chives
2 (12-inch) ovenproof heavy skillets

Steps:

Rinse salt-packed capers in a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Soak capers in water to cover by 2 inches for 30 minutes. Drain and repeat soaking. Drain again, then rinse and pat dry.
While capers soak, put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook pancetta in 1 dry 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off fat and wipe skillet clean.
Stir together raisins and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Trim cauliflower stalk flush with base of crown, discarding stalk, then trim any leaves. Put cauliflower crown, stalk side down, on a cutting board. Cut a 1-inch slice from 2 opposite sides of crown and discard, then cut crown lengthwise into 4 "steaks," each about 3/4 to 1 inch wide.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch each of sugar and pepper in each 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, swirling skillets occasionally, until butter begins to brown. Add 2 cauliflower steaks to each skillet and lightly season with salt and pepper, then cook until undersides are golden, about 4 minutes.
Transfer skillets to oven and roast cauliflower, without turning, switching position of skillets halfway through roasting, until cauliflower is just tender and undersides are golden brown, 8 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness).
While cauliflower roasts, bring water just to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in pancetta, capers, raisins with lemon juice, and caper berries. Add remaining 1/2 stick butter and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat and season with pepper.
Carefully invert cauliflower steaks with a spatula onto a platter and spoon sauce over them.
*Available at specialty foods shops and chefshop.com