Healthy, plant-based side dishes can lighten a meat-centered meal, or they can be fantastic meal in an of themselves. TABLE’s West Coast contributor, Sara Ghedina, tucked into some cold-weather classics which blend the irreverence and freshness of California, where she lives, with the culinary wisdom of Europe, where she was born and raised. Buon appetito!

Sautéed Cauliflower with Olives and Capers

Serves 4

A fall side dish with Mediterranean flavors. In lieu of store-bought breadcrumbs, you can use a day-old baguette or country-style bread, remove the crust and put it in the food processor until you get the crumb size that you want.

For a non-vegetarian option, add 4 or 5 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped, and cook them together with the breadcrumb mixture.You can also turn this cauliflower into a main dish, tossing in the skillet some cooked pasta, such as penne or spaghetti, along with extra olive oil and a tablespoon or two of pasta cooking water for a creamier sauce. 

1 medium cauliflower

3 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives 

2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

Grated peel of 1 lemon

2 + 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 to 5 tbsp breadcrumbs

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1/2 tsp chili pepper 

3 garlic cloves

Salt and black pepper to taste

Trim cauliflower and cut in small florets. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook cauliflower for about 3 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside. 

Finely chop olives and capers and add grated lemon zest to the mix. Place mixture in a bowl and set aside.

In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add breadcrumbs and minced parsley and cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbs are golden brown. Remove mixture to a plate and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 4 tbsp olive oil with pepper flakes and whole garlic cloves, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until garlic is golden and then remove it from the pan. Add olive and capers mix and cook for 2 minutes, stir in cauliflower, season with black pepper and salt (if needed), and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and cooked through. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and serve.