White on White

Cauliflower is one of those foods people are rarely ambivalent about; they either love it or hate it. I fall firmly into the former category.

Although this pasta with cauliflower isn’t the most colorful dish you’ve ever seen (after all, its four main ingredients--pasta, cauliflower, garlic and Parmesan--are essentially the same color), it is fast, simple, satisfying--and inexpensive.

Serve it with a loaf of bread and a simple watercress salad in a vinaigrette. Finish the meal with a scoop of gelato.

MENU (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

Pasta With Cauliflower

Watercress Salad With Vinaigrette

Gelato

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

1 large head cauliflower

1 pound short pasta of choice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Separate cauliflower into small florets. Put in large pot of boiling salted water and simmer until cauliflower is just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove florets with slotted spoon and set aside.

Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes depending on type of pasta.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring often, until cauliflower begins to brown slightly, 7 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Put pasta and reserved cooking water in bowl with cauliflower. Add lemon juice, parsley and Parmesan and toss.

4 servings. Each serving:

577 calories; 244 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 86 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 1.03 grams fiber.

INGREDIENTS

PANTRY

Garlic

Lemon

Olive oil

1 pound pasta

Parmesan cheese

Parsley

White wine vinegar

SHOPPING LIST

1 large head cauliflower

2 bunches watercress

1 loaf Italian or French bread

1 pint gelato

COUNTDOWN

30 minutes before: Begin boiling water. Separate cauliflower into florets.

25 minutes before: Mince garlic and parsley.

20 minutes before: Begin cooking cauliflower in water. Squeeze lemon juice.

15 minutes before: Remove cauliflower from pot and return water to boil.

14 minutes before: Add pasta to boiling water. Begin cooking cauliflower in skillet.

10 minutes before: Wash and trim watercress.

7 minutes before: Add garlic to skillet.

5 minutes before: Dress salad.

2 minutes before: Drain pasta and toss with cauliflower, lemon juice, parsley and Parmesan.

After dinner: Serve gelato.