Cauliflower green olive caper salad

Cauliflower Salad with Green Olives and Capers
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

The original recipe calls for escarole or watercress, but I actually kind of like this better without the lettuce leaves. It keeps better for hours, as awesome for advance preparation (I made it the day before) as it is for staggered dinner times.

1 small firm head cauliflower or broccoflower, about 12 ounces
1 hard-cooked egg
Sherry vinaigrette (below)
2 scallions, including an inch of the greens, thinly sliced
1 cup diced celery heart with leaves
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
12 pimiento-stuffed Spanish green olives, halved
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/2 cup parsley leaves

Slice off very thin slices of cauliflower, working your way around the head. Quarter then thinly slice the cauliflower. Be sure to include the stalks, too, peeled and thinly sliced.

Smash the hard-cooked egg yolk with the garlic and salt when you make the vinaigrette. Keep the dressing a little on the tart side.

Dice the egg white and toss it with the vegetables, olives, capers, and parsley. Add the vinaigrette (below) and toss again.

Sherry Vinaigrette

1 or 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
salt and freshly milled pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or aged red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pound the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar until it breaks down into a puree. Combine the garlic, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl, then whisk in the oil and season with pepper. Taste and correct the balance.