Cauliflower is another one of those vegetables that gets a bad rap. Yes, it’s in the cabbage family, and when the cauliflower is raw, the connection is easy to identify. Take a page from the Italians, then, who aren’t afraid of oil and know that giving some vegetables a dip in the fryer brings out their best characteristics. In this case, the cauliflower turns sweet and silken; add in some smoky shreds of ham hock and, well, you’ll be begging to eat cauliflower more often. Ask your butcher to split the ham hock for you; they have big saws for that very purpose. And don’t you dare throw away the liquid left over from boiling the ham hock. One bonus of this recipe is a soup waiting to happen.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the ham hock in a deep pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat and boil for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat nearly falls off the bone. Remove the meat from what is now a delicious broth and transfer to a plate to cool. Reserve the broth for another use. When the meat has cooled enough to handle, shred the meat from the bone into bite-size pieces, removing and discarding any fat and tendon as you go. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of picked meat, depending on the size of the ham hock. Measure out 1 packed cup of meat and wrap in foil to keep warm. Reserve the rest for another dish.
Step 2
To prepare the cauliflower, trim the stalk. Break into small florets of even size—no bigger than 1 1/2 inches long, with stems no thicker than a pencil.
Step 3
Heat the olive oil in a heavy, deep saucepan fitted with a frying thermometer. When the oil reaches 350°F, shallow-fry the cauliflower in batches until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain the fried cauliflower on paper towels and transfer to a warmed bowl. Work quickly so that the cauliflower stays hot. When all the cauliflower is fried, add the shredded ham hock, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
