Serves 6

Notes

This is a terrific salad for your repertoire, especially in winter, when vegetable choices are limited (though I like it any time of year). It is tasty and versatile, good as a side dish for grilled chicken, lamb chops, or pork chops, and substantial enough to be a meal in itself. It doesn’t wilt and is excellent for a buffet table or picnic. Best of all, you can make and dress it ahead of time—in fact, it gets better if you do.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cauliflower
  • 1 pound small russet potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
  • 1½ bunches scallions, white and some of the green parts, chopped in ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 hard-cooked large eggs peeled, sliced in thin wedges
Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy

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Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy

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Directions

You will need a large bowl for dressing, tossing, and serving. Fill a pot or saucepan with 3 quarts of water, and heat it to a boil.

Tear off any tough leaves at the base of the cauliflower (reserve any small, tender leaves) and cut out the core. Break or cut the large branches into 1-inch florets, drop them (and any tender leaves) into the boiling water, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Lift from the water, and drain well in a colander. When cool, put the florets in the large bowl.

As soon as the cauliflower is out of the pot, return the water to a boil and drop in the potatoes. Cook them at a gentle boil just until a knife blade pierces the center easily—don’t let them get mushy. Drain and briefly cool the potatoes; peel them while still warm, and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Put the potato cubes and cut scallions in the bowl with the cauliflower, season with 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss the vegetables together.

For the dressing: whisk the vinegar with the remaining teaspoon salt in a small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil gradually, until smooth and emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad; toss and tumble to coat all the pieces. Scatter the wedges of cooked egg over the top, and gently fold in with the vegetables.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy

Cookbook

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy

buy now