Brown Butter Cauliflower with Pears, Sage, and Hazelnuts

The second dish I made pre-Thanksgiving, brown butter cauliflower with pears, sage, and hazenuts was a real winner! The distinct combination of flavors in this dish kept everyone coming back for more. Needless to say, we had very few leftovers, and they disappeared quickly.

This dish complemented the wild rice, farro, and citrus salad nicely.

Ingredients:
3 oz/6 T unsalted butter, I used 4 T and it still tasted great
1 M head a cauliflower, sliced across with center removed, to make florets. These should be 3/4'' slices.
1/2 c hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 large ripe pears, skinned with seeds removed, and thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

First, prep the ingredients. If using store-bought roasted hazelnuts, measure out 1/2 c and coarsely chop. If using raw--like I did--crack out of the shell and measure 1/2 c. Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the hazelnuts in the oven on a sheet pan. Toast about 10-15 minutes, giving them a shake every 5. Be careful not to overcook, as it is very easy to burn them! (I'm speaking from experience here.) If you would like to remove the skins, place the hot nuts in a towel and rub. When cool, chop and set aside.

When ready, heat a large skillet over M. Add the butter and melt until the color has darkened and it is bubbling. Add the cauliflower, sage, and hazelnuts and cook ~2 minutes, stirring often. Add salt and pepper, and cook until the cauliflower is browned and can be easily stabbed with a fork, ~6 minutes more.

Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Add the pear and parsley and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve. This can be served warm or at room temperature, it tastes just as good either way.