All About Braising . . .Cauliflower

I was on a roll last week, cooking up a storm. I wanted to be seasonal and soothing and make something Todd likes. This cauliflower, from All About Braising, was earthy and nutty and so essentially cauliflowery, with just the right hint of cabbage-ness. I tossed it with pasta and grated cheese over the top.

You start by sauteeing 1 1/2-inch florets in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until they're "speckled all over with nice bits of brown," about 8 minutes. Then you put in a couple tablespoons of rinsed capers and cook a bit more. Next, 1/2 cup water (the recipe calls for stock), salt and pepper, then simmer covered about 15 to 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. If you're going to eat it as a side, you boil away the liquid, then add lemon and toasted breadcrumbs. I didn't boil down the liquid, but added some cooked penne, the breadcrumbs and some parmesan.

As a side note for those of you who are not squeamish, it breaks my heart when I finally coax August into putting something new and delicious into his mouth and, instead of squealing, "More! More!" he thrusts the chewed-up once-lovely food out of his wide-open mouth. Usually he aims for the plate, and I can't decide whether that's better or worse than his other options.