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Broccoli affogati
Cauliflower stewed with olives and wine
Vrocculi affucati: Catania's Christmas Eve cauliflower stewed in olive oil, olives and red wine
In Catania, eastern Sicily, Christmas Eve is a meatless vigil, and the big green Sicilian cauliflower (called 'broccoli' there) is 'drowned' in a covered pan with onion, black olives, oil and red wine, then strewn with pecorino. It is served on its own, folded into scacce pies, or beside fried salt cod. The wine cooks off over long simmering but some alcohol may remain, so swap it for water with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar for an alcohol-free dish. Pecorino is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese for a strictly vegetarian table. Chef's tip: layer the pan, cauliflower on onions on olives, and don't stir; shake it instead, so the florets stay whole and soak up the juices.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 green or white cauliflowerabout 900 g, in medium florets
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 2 ⅞ oz black olivespitted and halved
- ¾ cup red wineor water with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 2 ⅛ oz pecorino or vegetarian hard cheesegrated or in shavings
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pour 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil into a wide, heavy pan with a lid and spread 1 onion over the base. Scatter half of 1 ⅜ oz black olives on top.
Step 2: Pack 1 green or white cauliflower in a single tight layer, then scatter the rest of 1 ⅜ oz black olives, season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and drizzle with the remaining 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Step 3: Pour ¾ cup red wine around the edge, cover and set over a medium heat until it starts to bubble, then turn the heat to low.
5 minStep 4: Cook for 35–40 minutes, shaking the pan now and then rather than stirring. The cauliflower is ready when a knife slips through the stalks, the florets are tender but whole, and the liquid has reduced to a few spoonfuls of dark, oily juice. A common mistake is lifting the lid often: the steam does the cooking.
40 minStep 5: Take off the heat, scatter 2 ⅛ oz pecorino or vegetarian hard cheese over the hot cauliflower, cover for 2 minutes to soften the cheese and serve warm or at room temperature.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does broccoli affogati take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of green or white cauliflower?
- Broccoli, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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