Four days into my self imposed vacation, and I already feel bored. I guess vacation is more fun if you have someone to take a vacation with. I’ll have to see if I can convince Mike to take some time off so we can go carousing before I have to buckle down for school.

For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored by the broccoli’s albino cousin. The firm florets (though can you still call them that if they’ve been stunted at the meristem stage? I guess it falls into the same category of nonsensical food language that the word “vegetable” resides) crumble and melt beautifully with applied heat. When I was in high school, I would buy an empty salad plate from the lunch lady, and then proceed to the salad bar. Since we paid per plate of salad and not weight, I would pile the cauliflower in strategic tangles with great efficiency, stopping to pick up a little italian dressing on the side. I always walked fast at this point, because I felt slightly ashamed that I emptied out the cauliflower bin once more. But not ashamed enough that I wouldn’t do it again. This is what they call addiction, no?

Pasta with Cauliflower (& Spicy Broccoli)
adapted from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook

1.5 pounds cauliflower and/or broccoli, slice 1/8 inch
~1/2 pound linguine
6 salt cured anchovy fillets, chopped
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp fennel, pounded in a mortar (I substituted caraway seeds)
6 pinches dried chili flakes
1 tbs tightly packed, chopped parsley
Parmesan
Olive Oil

Prepare your pasta! I like it al dente and Mike likes it a bit past. I was making this for myself, however, so al dente it was.

Warm up a pan with olive oil, and add most the florets, leaving the small bits that will burn on the cutting board. When the florets are slightly browned, toss gently with the remaining bits and add a little more olive oil. Once the broccoli/cauliflower mass has shrunken about 1/3 and is mostly tender, add the chopped anchovy, garlic, fennel and chili. Add a little more olive oil, cook for a few minutes, then add the parsley. Taste and adjust.