So Fresh and So Clean Clean :: Shaved Cauliflower Salad.

A couple weeks ago the girls took to a fantastic dinner spot for birthday celebrations. Americano sits in the heart of downtown, adjacent to the stunning Joule hotel. And while in all honesty, our shared second courses mostly consisted of brick oven pizzas (no regrets, yall), the FIRST course was one to talk about. "Shaved Cauliflower Salad" was SO fresh, delicious and clean that I know I had to recreate this one myself.

I finally made it happen!

Now before I go any further, lemme get real with you. I hardly EVER buy cauliflower heads because I HATE cutting it. I may have mentioned this before...I know. I know. It's not difficult. And it's not. HOWEVER, my OCD, clean freak, texture paranoid self is on steroids around the vegetable. It taunts me with gritty, piece-y, crumbling mess that sticks to any and every surface. SO I stick to pre-chopped.
All that vulnerable honesty to tell you this salad was THAT good that I put aside my personal preferences to buy heads of cauliflower...to chop myself.

So here's what I used:

• Cauliflower (I used white and yellow but would have added purple if they had it...for looks. duh)
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 4 Table spoons Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Pistachios (shelled, unsalted)
• 1/4 Cup Golden Raisins
• Chives for garnish
  

(And yes, that's bottled lemon juice because I forgot to buy lemons!)

Then what happened:

1. Wash heads of Cauliflower
2. Cut out leaves and stem (be prepared for aforementioned crumblies...not to be confused with crummies...) 
3. In sections, slice the cauliflower into thinly sliced "shavings". I ended up using about 1/3 of each head for the proportions of everything else here. 
4. Mix the oil and lemon juice together and then dump over the cauliflower
    
   
5. Add in the pistachios, raisins, and chives...annnnd mix.
6. Yep that easy. Serve on the side of any protein...but know that it will be difficult to not just eat the whole bowl of this!
     
   
   
   While most my life is chop, chop, chop, saute, saute, saute....this chop, chop, mix was quite a welcomed and easy change of pace. 
   
   
   And hey what a way to welcome Spring/Summer or whatever season your corner of this moodswingin-weathered-earth is currently experiencing. 
   
   
   (Posted while golf-ball hail is pelting my windows. Thanks Texas weather)
   
   
   Finding Fit and Conquering Cauliflower Chopping, 
   Lisa