Pickled Romanesco Cauliflower

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

SUBMITTED BY CHEF CHRIS PARSONS OF STEEL & RYE RESTAURANT, MILTON
“We almost always have a seasonal pickle on the menu here at Steel & Rye and I always have a jar in my refrigerator at home. If there is extra pickle juice, it can be saved for a future recipe. It’s a perfect afternoon snack or a great item to place on the table to start a dinner party: crisp, bright, fresh, and refreshing. We get our beautiful Romanesco cauliflower from my friend Tina’s farm in Hanson, Massachusetts, but you can absolutely substitute white cauliflower if you’d like.”

Makes 2–3 quart-sized jars

2 medium-sized heads of Romanesco cauliflower, core removed, cut into bite size florets
2½ cups water
3 cups rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons kosher salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1½ tablespoon whole fennel seeds
¾ teaspoon red chili flakes
1½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole yellow mustard seeds
3 bay leaves

Bring water and vinegar to a boil in a large pot. Whisk in sugar, salt, and all spices. Allow pickling liquid to come back up to a boil.

Carefully pour over cut cauliflower. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. You can also pack the raw cauliflower into 2-3 quart-sized Mason jars, pour the brine over the top, and process for storage according to instructions found on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.