Steamed cauliflower with raisins and pine nuts

5
Points®
Total Time
25 min
Prep
7 min
Cook
18 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Both raisins and pine nuts are sweet but in very different ways. The toasty sweetness of the pine nuts have a richness that work well with the honey sweetness of raisins. In under 30 minutes, these simple ingredients bring to life this dinner table staple. Plumping the raisins in water will make them full and juicy without taking out their sweetness. Keep a close eye on your pine nuts during the roasting process. Once they begin to brown the process goes to burn very quickly. If you like jewel tones, try golden raisins in place of the standard Thompson variety. Serve this upscale side dish with a slices of roasted chicken or simply grilled pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

Raisins

½ cup(s)

Cauliflower

2 pound(s), head, trimmed and separated into florets

Pine nuts

¼ cup(s)

Olive oil

4 tsp

Table salt

¼ tsp

White pepper

tsp, freshly ground, or to taste

Lemon

1 item(s), large, cut into 4 wedges

Instructions

  1. Put the raisins in a small bowl of hot water until plump and soft, about 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
  2. Put the cauliflower in a steamer basket; set it in a saucepan over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover tightly and steam until tender but not mushy, 6–8 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small, dry nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; slide the pan gently back and forth over the heat so the nuts cook evenly. As soon as they begin to turn golden, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a heatproof plate to cool.
  4. Toss the cauliflower with the raisins, pine nuts, oil, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl. Serve with the lemon wedges. Yields 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Notes

This dish might just convert a cauliflower hater. Or you could prepare it with almost any lightly cooked vegetable. Try broccoli or Brussels sprouts, or chopped sturdy greens like kale, cabbage, or collards.