Tessa’s Tips: Seared Sea Scallops with Cauliflower Two Ways

Although I can’t eat broccoli, for some reason cauliflower doesn’t bother my tender belly. So I take full advantage and try to eat it every which way I possibly can. Cauliflower is a member of the Brassicaceae family, along with broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts and kale. It’s planted in mid-spring for an early summer harvest or in mid-summer for a fall harvest. Cauliflower’s versatility is what I love most. Roast it to bring out its nutty flavor, puree it as an alternative to mashed potatoes or sauté the florets serve as a side. It also contains Vitamin C, is low in calories and has known cancer-fighting properties. What’s not to love?

To make the cauliflower in this dish, I took chopped, raw cauliflower and cooked it in a shallot infused broth. Then I puréed it with some butter and cream until I got the consistency of thin mashed potatoes. That became the base for this dish. I also roasted cauliflower florets in a little olive oil with mushrooms and fresh sprigs of thyme, rosemary and oregano (with salt and peppa of course). To add a textural contrast, as well as a savory note, I dry toasted pine nuts with some pancetta, added some fresh parsley, lemon zest and…I was in cauliflower heaven.