Cauliflower and Crumbs Recipe

For Cauliflower & Crumbs, the cauliflower can be cooked ahead, reheated at serving time, and finished with the garnishes.

Tom Hopkins

Make your own breadcrumbs in a food processor or blender using any stale or fresh bread. When I buy a whole cauliflower, I usually keep the stem and green leaves to use in soup. —Jacques Pépin

Cauliflower and Crumbs

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 cup fresh, coarse breadcrumbs
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large cauliflower (about 1½ pounds)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 4 scallions, trimmed and minced (about ½ cup)
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Mix the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread them evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Cook the breadcrumbs in the oven until brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, to clean the cauliflower, trim off any discolored spots on top, then separate the head into 14 to 16 florets. Peel off and discard the thick outside layer of the stem.

Place the florets in one layer in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Drain the cauliflower and arrange the stems and florets, stem side down, in the serving dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Distribute the browned breadcrumbs evenly over the top.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and ginger, and cook for 20 to 30 seconds. Sprinkle on top of the crumb-covered cauliflower and serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking by Jacques Pépin, photographs by Tom Hopkins, Harvest Books, 2023.