Suggested by Chef Viviana Mattocoli
1 medium sized white cauliflower, cleaned and divided into florets (I like to dice the stem as well)
1 medium sized purple cauliflower, cleaned and divided into florets, including dicing the stem if you are using
1 medium sized yellow cauliflower, cleaned and divided into florets, including dicing the stem if you are using
Large pinch coarse salt, for the cauliflower cooking water, and as needed to season the rest of the dish
Rice vinegar, as needed
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
¾ -1 cup small gherkins in vinegar
2 tablespoons pitted, halved or quartered, Gaeta (or another flavorful Mediterranean olive) olives
10 Cetara anchovies (or choose another flavorful anchovy if Cetara are not available)
About 4 cups sunflower oil
3/4-7/8 cups Italian organic 00 soft wheat flour
1/3- ½ up sparkling water
Working separately with each color cauliflower, bring a large pot of water to the boil, add a pinch of coarse salt and blanch the cauliflowers for eight minutes.
Cool them in water mixed with ice and set aside, until you have three separate blanched and cooled cauliflower; drain each.
Puree the white cauliflower florets in a blender until you get a puree, seasoning with salt and a little rice vinegar to taste; Leave the purple cauliflower in florets and dress with oil, salt and vinegar.
For the yellow cauliflower, prepare a light batter with the organic flour and sparkling water, then dip the florets in it to coat.
Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan and once it reaches a temperature of 350F degrees, then fry the battered florets until they are golden-crispy. Drain and place on absorbent paper sheets and set aside.
Now, plate the dish: Arrange the white cauliflower puree in a shallow bowl, top with an appealing arrangement of the other florets, the gherkins, the olives and the anchovies, working in a circular shape.
CURIOSITY
A modern interpretation of the classic Neapolitan Christmas dish of marinated cauliflowers and pickled vegetables.
Enjoy to Viviana Marrocoli!
Viviana was born in Naples and grew up among her family flavors and her grandmother’s cooking.
She attended the Gambero Rosso course in Naples, where she was able to learn from great masters such as Michele Leo, Vincenzo Bacioterracino and chef Francesco Sposito. After various experiences abroad she returned to Italy to work first in the restaurant kitchens of Lorenzo Cuomo at Re Maurì and Viviana Varese at Alice, the at the end of 2018 in the restaurant kitchen of chef Igles Corelli.
In 2020 she returned to her home town of Naples and together with her friend the businessman Pietro Micillo started a new culinary journey made of memories, tradition, and a lot of passion: the Taverna La Riggiola.
