The reinforcing salad is the side dish to bring to the table for Christmas. It is usually never missing on the table on Christmas Eve, originating from Naples but widely spread throughout southern Italy. The reinforcing salad is a good and rich cauliflower salad, enriched with pickles, usually peppers and gherkins, olives, capers, and of course anchovies, canned anchovies. I love cauliflower salad, I often prepare it simply seasoned with a little oil, but I assure you it is much tastier this way, and my husband, who is the usual glutton, also adds a teaspoon of mayonnaise, but who can blame him, mayonnaise makes everything extraordinary, I obviously only use homemade mayonnaise.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 8-10
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Reinforcing Salad
- 1.3 lbs cauliflower
- 1 cup pickled peppers (or in sweet and sour)
- 1 cup pickled gherkins
- 2.8 oz green olives
- 2.8 oz black olives
- 1.1 oz salted capers
- 15 fillets anchovies
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools for Preparing Reinforcing Salad
- 1 Colander
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
Steps for Preparing Reinforcing Salad
Put a large pot with water on the stove and bring to a boil.
Prepare the cauliflower into large florets, wash, and cook in boiling water. Cook for about 5 minutes or a little longer until the cauliflower is well cooked but not mushy, so be careful not to overcook it.
Drain the cauliflower and let it cool. Once cooled, cut the florets into smaller pieces and place them in a large bowl.
Add the olives, rinsed capers, sliced gherkins, and finely chopped peppers.
Finally, prepare olive oil and chopped anchovies in a small bowl, mix and season the salad with this oil, adjusting the salt only at the end.
Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to serve.
