Do you ever go to the farmers’ market and are struck with something so beautiful that you know exactly what you need to cook with it right this second? Well, that’s what happened with me and this sprouting cauliflower. I was doing my normal Saturday morning shop, and since it was late October, I saw piles and piles of sprouting cauliflower at all the stalls. One of my favorite stalls had the most beautiful stack of them, snowy white with long stems, just waiting to be cooked. On that exact day, this Sprouting Cauliflower with Anchovy Brown Butter & Lemon was born! It started as a simple lunch, but the flavors were so delicious and fall-forward that I had to make it a proper post for the blog.
While this recipe might seem unassuming, it packs in some pretty cool tips and tricks for simple cooking, like how to “brown” milk solids in butter over your vegetables without actually browning it in a pan and how to fry rosemary to perfection. Plus, I know I made this a toast to be a light lunch, but you can also ditch the bread and serve this on a platter as a family-style side dish. It’s a great way to use a new vegetable, and I hope it’ll make you fall in love with sprouted cauliflower. (But PS, it totally works with regular cauliflower, too – see the note in the recipe box!)
Table of contents
What is sprouting cauliflower?
Sprouting cauliflower is a part of cauliflower, it results from either overgrown heads of cauliflower, or can also be a secondary growth from a head of cauliflower, starting where the buds meet the leaves. They tend to be long and stem-like, similar to broccolini, with a white, flowery head at the top of each strand. Basically, they look like overgrown cauliflower, because that’s what they are!
Sprouting cauliflower tastes very similar to cauliflower and it roasts just the same. I see it as another beautiful way to enjoy the vitamins and minerals from cauliflower, as sprouting cauliflower is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. It’s a win-win, especially with brown butter thrown into the mix. 😉
Ingredients you will need for this sprouting cauliflower with anchovy brown butter recipe
This recipe is simple, but filled with flavor. When these ingredients are combined into one warm, comforting meal, it’s like magic! Here is everything you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 pounds sprouting cauliflower, sliced into long strips
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2-3 flat-packed anchovy fillets
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary sprigs, woody stems removed
- 2 slices of sourdough bread, optional, if serving as a snack or light meal
- 1 lemon, for juice and zest
- Flaky salt, such as Maldon
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt of choice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How does the anchovy butter “brown” in this sprouted cauliflower recipe?
We aren’t browning the butter in the pan in this recipe, which I know, feels like cheating. But when you brown butter, all you are doing is toasting the milk solids in the butter until they are darkened and nutty. This can happen on a pan with just butter (the most common method), but it can also happen in the oven, when your butter is already on your vegetables! Brown butter adds richness and depth to almost any meal, which is why I use it so often in my cooking!
Since we are roasting the sprouting cauliflower at such a high heat, the butter naturally browns as the cauliflower caramelizes, so you get that much more flavor, with less work.
The secret to frying rosemary
This sprouting cauliflower recipe with anchovy brown butter isn’t just those ingredients. I’ve also thrown rosemary into the mix because when it’s fried, it tastes like fall.
To perfectly pan-fry rosemary, you want to have just enough olive oil in the pan to coat the bottom. When you add the rosemary to the pan, you’ll hear it begin to sizzle. This is the rosemary leeching out all the water in it, and the water is evaporating (thus, the sizzling sound!). The rosemary is finished frying when you can no longer hear that sizzle, which means all the water is released, the oil has had time to crisp the rosemary and it’s ready for use!
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few other vegetable-forward favorites from the blog!
Cauliflower Soup with Green Olive Salsa Verde
Baked Cauliflower Salad with Feta and Dates
Broccoli Rabe Sandwich with Balsamic Onions & Red Pepper Sauce
And that’s everything for this Sprouting Cauliflower with Anchovy Brown Butter & Lemon!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds sprouting cauliflower, sliced into long strips, see note for substitutions
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2-3 flat-packed anchovy fillets
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary sprigs, woody stems removed
- 2 slices of sourdough bread, optional, if serving as a snack or light meal
- 1 lemon, for juice and zest
- Flaky salt, such as Maldon
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt of choice
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt , to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
- Scatter the sprouting cauliflower on a lined baking sheet, giving all the pieces as much room as possible, although some will overlap.
- Set a small sauté pan over medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add in the anchovies and stir, watching them break apart and "melt" into the butter. Remove this from the heat and spoon over the cauliflower. Mix to coat.
- Roast the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is dark brown on the edges. The heat from the oven will let the milk solids in the butter toast and brown, creating a deeper, toastier flavor on the cauliflower.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, add a drizzle of olive oil to the sauté pan. No need to wipe out any of the leftover anchovy butter. Set the pan over medium heat and fry the rosemary sprigs until they are one shade darker green and crisp. This takes about two minutes, they are done when you no longer hear them sizzling. Set the rosemary on a paper towel to drain.
- Add the two slices of bread to the pan and toast them in the rosemary oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside.
- When the cauliflower is out of the oven, squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon) over the top. Scatter on the fried rosemary and season with a pinch of flaky salt. Mix to coat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, two tablespoons of lemon juice (from the remaining halves of the lemon) and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and whisk into a smooth sauce.
- To serve, pile a portion of the cauliflower on top of the toasts. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce and garnish with lemon zest. If serving as a side dish, just add the cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle the yogurt sauce and top with lemon zest.
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