I never thought late-night office Seamless would prove to be as inspiring as it has (and, all right, a lot of the time it’s a little far from it), but I don’t think I would have ever come across this revelatory Sicilian cauliflower and chickpea dish if it wasn’t for a Seamless order on a random work night last winter, placed while hunting for something reasonably healthy in frigid temps that wasn’t a bone-chilling salad or an equally chilly wrap. Tucked into an unassuming plastic cup, this warm salad-y side was an afterthought when I ordered it but the highlight of my desk-side dinner when I got it — creamy chickpeas playing off of crisp, caramelized roasted cauliflower, tossed with briny, pungent capers, nose-clearing honey mustard, and a little vinegar, finished off with teeny-tiny currants for touch of jammy sweetness (which is, as always, the way to my heart) and bright, fresh parsley.
Being about as far from a Sicilian culinary expert as you could find, I was a little skeptical I could recreate this at home, but when I found that the restaurant had actually posted an at-home version of their dish online, I thought it was only fair to try. And after tweaking the recipe based on a few comments from folks who sound like they’re just as devoted to the restaurant version as I am, this is, much to my total delight, exactly like I remember it — a playful, salty-but-sweet-but-tart combination of hearty yet bright flavors. We enjoyed it over toast for an easy portable version, but it’s just as good on its own for a vibrant, but still light and nourishing, winter lunch or dinner.
Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Roasted cauliflower & chickpeas with capers & raisins
Ingredients
- for roasting:
- 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for the breadcrumbs (optional):
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup coarse breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- for the dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1–2 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard (if using a completely whole grain variety, like Maille old-fashioned Dijon, use 2 tsp whole grain and 1 tsp regular mustard)
- 1/3 cup raisins or currants (can substitute chopped dates; see Notes below)
- 2 tbsp capers
- for serving:
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- squeeze lemon juice
- toast, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower florets and chickpeas with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer onto one or two large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast in the oven, tossing occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy. (You may need more or less time, depending on your oven.)
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet on medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two, or until just golden. Add the breadcrumbs, thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes, then reduce heat to low and continue to cook slowly until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Add the chicken broth to the same saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the vinegar, honey, and mustard, and whisk to combine. Add the dried fruit of your choice, then cook until liquid reduces by about half, about 5 minutes or so. (See Notes if using dates.)
- By this time, the cauliflower and chickpeas should be about done. Remove from oven and let cool briefly, then transfer to the same large bowl you used earlier. Toss with the chicken broth mixture, the capers, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and fresh chopped parsley, then enjoy over toast or on its own. Enjoy!
Notes
If using chopped dates, you may not need as much chicken broth depending on how soft and fresh they are. If they’re particularly sticky and soft, use 1/4 cup chicken broth instead of 1/2 cup, and add the dates at the same time you add the capers, rather than adding them to the chicken broth. If you like, you can puree 1/2 cup or so of the cauliflower and chickpeas to use as a spread on the toast, which I thought helped keep the rest from rolling off, as things tend to do when I eat them. 🙂
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table
This is EXACTLY the kind of dish that I see myself falling in love with, and then recreating repeatedly to my heart’s content in the kitchen (I think that cauliflower and capers are a flavour combination made in heaven, and something I’ve already played with on my blog). I love that your late-night ordering unearthed this.
tworedbowls
I totally agree with you, cauliflower and capers are so so good together! Thank you so much for the kind words, Ksenia.
Erica
I want this for dinner ASAP!! I love how deliciously brine-y it all sounds. Love love love!!!
tworedbowls
You’re the sweetest, Erica 🙂 Thank you!!!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
This is just the kind of soul warming dish I need right now, love!
tworedbowls
Thank you so much, Abby!!!
danielle is rooting the sun
cynthia, i feel instant kinship to this dish. every note here sings sweetly (creamy chickpeas, caramelized cauliflower, swoon) perched perfectly atop the cold weather of winter. hearty and bright is exactly what defines winter food for me. beautiful. xo
tworedbowls
This is such a beautiful, kind comment, Danielle! You made my day with this. Thank you. And I’m so with you, hearty and bright all the way to spring, please 🙂
Madeline
Oh wow what a delicious-sounding combo! I love how this was inspired by a late night Seamless order too. Dig Inn is amazing!!
tworedbowls
It really is!! Thank you so much for the kind comment, Madeline 🙂
Brooke Bass
Hellooooo lovely toast! (And yay for something healthy that’s not salad…I’m with you salad in winter is too cold!) Love the combo of cauliflower and chickpeas here. (And raisins!) I’m laughing because I’ve been on a total chickpea kick lately. In hummus, on wilted greens, in pasta…you get the point. Basically, you’ve just added to my hummus addiction that’s apparently happening this January. Not that I’m complaining 😉
Amber | Loves Food, Loves to Eat
This looks so good! Have you had Ottolenghi’s warm roasted cauliflower salad thing? It’s similar (but obvs, Israeli, not Sicilian), and has pomegranates and hazelnuts, and is my favorite thing ever.
Lindsey
i love when humble dishes sneak up and surprise you with their tastiness! this dish sounds like the perfect thing to eat on these chilly days – warm toasty bread, topped with hearty goods! i hope you’re keeping warm out there, friend! xo’s
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
This is the way to do toast! Love love love!
Jessica Cox
How utterly delicious!!!
cococakeland
cynthia! i’ve been going cauli-wild for a while now from a recipe from Gwyneth and Julia Turshen’s “It’s All Good” … roasted cauli, chickpeas with a white wine vinegar, dijon and olive oil dressing – had no idea it was a Sicilian thing! awesome. love the idea of it over toast, and with capers and raisins! yum yum! xo
Erika
I’m liking this on toast.. Chickpeas and cauliflower don’t get much love in my house.. I’m thinking we should try this… Love the ingredients in that dressing.
Shikha la mode
I’ve recently become obsessed with chickpeas in everything! I roasted a ton and keep them in my fridge.
Considering The Radish
That sounds like the best sort of restaurant- the kind that will happily give away its recipes. In other news this is rocketing to the top of my to-make list.
Sini | My Blue&White Kitchen
This is a dish I would just love to serve at a get-together. But first, I’ll make it for myself. Mouthwatering recipe, Cynthia!
Gena
This = basically my dream food.
Rachel - Lipstick & Gelato
Mmmmm! Cannot wait to try this, as my sisters and I are always roasting cauliflower and chickpeas, albeit separately! 🙂
Chelsea (@TheWholeBite)
The flavors in this sound amazing!! I love cauliflower and with a capery, mustardy dressing? Oh yes! So glad you shared this. It’s definitely at the top of my to-make list!
genevieve y
I love it when you recreate something from a restaurant and it tastes exactly like- or even better than- the dish you ordered. I feel like a superhero every time it happens!!! This sounds delicious, I want to have this for breakfast this weekend 😀
Amanda | What's Cooking
I just got my Seamless order (yes after 10p on a blizzard Fri) and I remembered that I wanted to ask your thoughts after I read this (beautiful, oh so yummy, soon to be recreated in my kitchen) post. While I love Seamless, did you ever see their campaigns in the subway basically insinuating that cooking old school and passe? It shows ovens being used as clothes storage and talking about saving time. Cooking isn’t your enemy, Seamless, maybe the telephone is. We cooks can coexist with Seamless. I don’t see why we can’t we all just be friends : )
Lynn @ The Actor's Diet
I’ve been obsessed w cauliflower lately. Thanks for this recipe!
Patty
This looks absolutely delicious and I would love to make it. Is there a recipe somewhere that I’m not seeing? Thanks!
tworedbowls
Oh gosh, I’m so sorry about that! The recipe should be back now. Hope you love it if you try it, and thank you so much for catching that!
meshayvidge
Made this for dinner last night (sans breadcrumbs) and it was delicious! I’m only disappointed that it didn’t yield more! I’m going to have to double the recipe next time. Yum!
Anonymous
Damn…long intro…nobody cares
Gabrielle
I care actually. I enjoy reading about Cynthia’s life and how she comes to make the food that she ends up sharing with us. I don’t come here just for the recipes. Keep doing what you do Cynthia! And thank you so much!
tworedbowls
Gabrielle, this was so kind! You truly made my day, thanks for making me smile and for such touching words. Thank you! 🙂
Gabriel
Thanks so much for posting this. Old post, I know, but I found it through Google and I’ve made it a bunch of times, including tonight. I usually use chicken bouillon powder or cubes instead of stock, which means a lot less time on the stove for reducing the sauce. So tasty~
tworedbowls
What a great idea! I’m so happy you liked this–thank you so much!
Eb
Thanks so much for posting this. Since moving from NYC several years ago, I’ve found myself missing this dish – and now I can make it myself! Quick question: every time I make it, my chickpeas come out very dry. Definitely not creamy 😫 Am I doing something wrong? Should I not be cooking them a full 45 minutes? Would love to fix this and have the perfect recipe!
tworedbowls
Hi!! I’m so sorry about that! Yes, looking at this I suspect that the roasting time I had down may be too long for some ovens. I would try checking at 30 minutes and testing a piece or two to see if it’s cooked to your liking. If it has some nice browned bits and it tastes right to you, then pull em from the oven. I hope that helps!