I’m told that dish dish is either Austrian or Hungarian in nature. Or it could have come from that old monarchy known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire that lasted from 1867 to 1918. Whatever it’s genesis, it’s a great way to liven up cauliflower. It makes for a great vegetarian dinner.

The green topping here consists of frozen peas— with the addition of a dash of sugar, heavy cream and parley. The mix is then blended in a food processor. This is spooned over the cauliflower, and there you have it. It makes a superb side dish on its own, but we like it served over pasta or rice, or any grain of choice. This time, we served it with linguini, and it was delicious.

Note that in this recipe you should use fresh, prime cauliflower. If the cauliflower has been in the fridge for  few days, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. And be sure to add 1½ teaspoons of white vinegar to the cooking water.

GREEN-TOPPED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

1½ to 2-pound head cauliflower, leaves trimmed, core removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 whole scallions, bulbs and green tops, minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 10-ounce package frozen peas
Pinch of brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. In a pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, and cook cauliflower until jut tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain.
  2.  Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Place whole cauliflower in a deep serving dish, pour melted butter over it and keep warm in a preheated 275-degree oven.
  3.  In a medium skillet, over medium-low heat, sauté scallions and garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, sprinkle with sugar and cook 4 minutes. Add parsley and cream. Transfer to a container of a food processor and process until smooth. Reheat in a saucepan but do not boil. Spoon over cauliflower and serve.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.