Name: Cauliflower "Bistecche" with Pancetta and Caper Berries
Yield: Makes 4 side-dish or first-course servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup salt-packed capers*; 5 (1/4-inch-thick) slices pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon; 5 oz), cut into 1/4-inch dice; 1/2 cup golden raisins; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 small head cauliflower (1 3/4 pound); 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 pinches of sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 8 drained bottled caper berries*, rinsed; Garnish: coarse sea salt (preferably sel gris); chopped fresh chives; 2 (12-inch) ovenproof heavy skillets

Image may contain Plant Dish Food and Meal

Cauliflower "Bistecche" with Pancetta and Caper BerriesRita Maas

For this recipe, it's best to choose a head of cauliflower with a very dense crown so that the "steaks" will hold together during cooking. However, even if they separate a bit, the dish is still delicious.

Cooks' note:

If your sea salt is very coarse, lightly crush it with a mortar and pestle or with bottom of a heavy skillet.

Recipe notes

Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad

This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.

Grape Dumplings

Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.

Tater Tots Tossed in Date Butter

Put these out at a gathering, and we guarantee you’ll be hearing rave reviews for a long time.

Jammy Grape Galette

We don’t bake with grapes as often as we should. But even the most average supermarket varieties come alive when roasted with a bit of sugar and seasoning.

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Chorizo Cauliflower

A plant-based spin on chorizo to put toward tacos, quesadillas, and more.

Tortellini in Preserved Lemon Brodo

A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.

Halloumi Lasagna

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.