Cauliflower, Capacollo and Tomatoes

Summer entertaining should be easy and full of bright flavors to go along with fantastic friends or family.  Ordinary cauliflower is paired here with the bold flavors of Capacollo, a spicy, dry-cured salami originating in Italy but readily available at most supermarkets today.  These are paired with sweet cherry tomatoes and red onions.  This dish is quick to make and beautiful to look at.  The key to this dish is to make it and set it out for guests to enjoy all night long as it is delicious warm or at room temperature.  I like to make it in a large cast iron pan and set it out - family style for guests to nibble on.

I blanch the cauliflower beforehand (even a day before is fine, just pull it out a half hour beforehand to come to room temperature so as to reduce cooking time).  NOTE: This recipe calls for Capacollo, but you can used any dry-cured salami or Proscuitto, I prefer the heat Capacollo gives.

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1"-3" florets, blanched in boiling, salted water 4 minutes
1/2 cup olive oil
8 oz. Capacollo, thinly sliced and slivered
1 red onion, halved and medium sliced
16 oz. cherry tomatoes
1 lemon, halved
1 cup fresh parsely, chopped

In a large skillet (I prefer cast iron), heat olive oil until it has a sheen.  Add Capacollo and fry until edges begin to brown, then add onion and saute for five minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook for a couple minutes, until skins begin to break then add cauliflower and stir gently to combine - at this point we are just trying to warm up the cauliflower.  Remove from heat, squeeze HALF of the lemon over the dish and sprinkle with parsely - SERVE and ENJOY!