This is an easy and fun summer salad and one of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower. I love throwing the cauliflower on the grill to give it that smokey flavor, but you can also roast the it in the oven if you prefer an alternative cooking method. If you are going to grill, I highly recommend using a grill basket or pan for the cauliflower so you are not losing pieces through the grill grates. Click here to shop for one on Amazon. The recipe calls for fresh mint but fresh basil also works nicely. If you’re not a big fan of olives, try using capers or even chopped sun dried tomatoes to get that salty/briney flavor.

2 small to medium heads of cauliflower chopped

1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives sliced in half (I sometimes use a combination of kalamata and spanish olives if I have them on hand)

1/4 cup of red onion minced

2-3 Tablespoons of chopped mint

1 large clove of garlic crushed

Balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill. Chop cauliflower into bite-size, easy to cook pieces and toss with olive oil. Large chunky pieces will take longer to cook and you may risk burning them before they are tender. Grill cauliflower on medium to medium high heat (may depend on your grill) turning often to avoid burning but leaving long enough to get some caramelization (lightly browned). Grill (or roast) until fork tender and lightly browned. Add cooked cauliflower to a serving bowl and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add olives, red onion, mint and garlic and toss. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil to your taste. Season with salt and pepper. Can be served at room temperature. Refrigerate remaining salad (always better the next day!).