Look at this cauliflower, it is beautiful! And it is huge, the size of two typical cauliflowers. This picture was taken after I had already broken off a bunch of florets to munch on. And, of course, it was locally grown and purchased at one  of my favorite road-side stands.

How to do such a beautiful cauliflower justice?  First, divide it in half. The first half was destined for my favorite cooking method, pan-searing.

As I have posted previously, pan-seared cauliflower goes very well with pasta. This time, I decided to add sun-dried tomatoes to the mix.

It was a good addition!

 

Pasta with Cauliflower & Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 lb pasta

3 tbs olive oil

1 medium cauliflower (or half of one huge locally-grown one)

6-8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped (from the garden)

Red pepper flakes – optional

Kosher salt

Parmigiano reggiano, grated

Directions

Slice the cauliflower about 1/2 inch thick and break into “florets”.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower in a single layer, you will need to do this in several batches.

Cook until well browned, then flip to cook the other side til browned. It will take between 2 and 4 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and salt lightly.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the cauliflower.

Re-heat the pan over medium heat and mix together the pasta and cauliflower-tomatoes.  Add red pepper flakes if using and season to taste.

Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano, enjoy!

Serves 4.