Cauliflower Crostini

Crostini seems to be the newest trend and this is one of the best recipes I've tried in a long time!

It comes from "What's Cooking In America"

Cauliflower Crostini

One 2-pound head of cauliflower, broken into florets
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds  (not the end of the world if you omit these in my opinion, although they do add a lot of flavor)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 to 10 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peasant bread, cut in half (any crusty bread works fine, I used French bread)
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

In a large nonstick skillet, bring 1 inch of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover and cook over high heat until just tender, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted, spoon, transfer the cauliflower florets to a bowl; reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. NOTE: Watch the onion carefully, as you don't want them to burn. They should be a lightly golden, not completely carmelized.

Add the cooked cauliflower, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is very tender, about 8 minutes; add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid if it begins to look dry. NOTE: I ended up adding 12 tablespoons (one tablespoon at a time during the cooking process) to keep the mixture moist.

Mash the cauliflower to a chunky purée and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange bread slices in one layer on a large baking sheet; brush both sides with olive oil. Bake in middle of oven until very lightly toasted, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve: Sprinkle with toasted bread slices with coarse salt; spoon the cauliflower mixture on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil, garnish with the parsley and serve.  OR you can serve the cauliflower in a bowl surrounded by the toasted bread (this is how I served it to save myself time)

Makes 8 servings.