This delicious cauliflower dish comes from Michelle Cahen Bamberger, whose family had lived in Lorraine since “forever,” as she told me, until World War II brought her to the south of France, where she was forced into hiding. Madame Bamberger says that she feels and cooks French. And she feels French first and Jewish second, despite all that she went through during the war. “One day, I was going home with a bottle of wine under my arm to the place we were hiding in Lyon during the war,” she told me in the parlor of the apartment in Toulon where she and her husband now live. “I saw the Gestapo coming, so, instead of going into the house, I kept walking and saved myself. When we were in hiding, our life wasn’t bad compared with others. Because my parents were in the clothing industry, we traded fabric for butter and rabbits. I remember one day we received a lamb roast. That was really something.” Her cauliflower dish, with its crunchy golden exterior, is similar to ones I have tasted in Israel and elsewhere.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 head of cauliflower, cut into flowerets

　　Coarse salt to taste

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　2 cloves garlic, minced

　　1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

　　Freshly ground pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

To cook the cauliflower, place it in a large bowl with 1 cup water and salt to taste, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 4 minutes, or until barely cooked. Or cook it on top of the stove in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain.

　　

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and stir in the garlic, cooking until just fragrant. Add the cauliflower, and sauté until golden all over. Sprinkle in the parsley, and continue to cook for another minute. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous