Insalata di Rinforzo — The Salad That Gets Better Every Day

Break the cauliflower into medium florets, roughly 4–5 cm across. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

Blanch the cauliflower for 4–5 minutes — it should be tender but with real bite left. Test by pressing a floret: it should yield without collapsing. Drain immediately and spread on a tray to cool completely, at least 15 minutes. Do not dress hot cauliflower.

While the cauliflower cools, drain the giardiniera of its excess liquid but do not rinse it. Roughly chop any large pieces into bite-sized chunks.

If using salt-packed capers, soak in cold water for 10 minutes and drain. Brine-packed capers can go in as-is.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled cauliflower, giardiniera, black olives, green olives, capers, and pickled chili peppers.

Lay the anchovy fillets over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Toss gently to combine — you want the anchovies to break up into small pieces that distribute through the salad rather than dissolving entirely. Taste and adjust vinegar or salt (it usually needs neither, given how much salt is already in the ingredients).

Transfer to a serving bowl or container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving; overnight is better. To serve, bring to room temperature for 30 minutes and give a fresh drizzle of olive oil if it looks dry.