Indian-Style Sauté of Cauliflower and Greens

My first CSA pick-up! I cruised down to Riverbound Farm and gathered up some lovely radishes, lettuces, and bok choy. I'm already swimming in radishes from my garden, so I swapped some radishes for extra bok choy, came home and made myself a veggie-rific sauté.

Kent and Ben went up to the lake this weekend to hang out with Kent's folks. The idea of a weekend to myself was irresistible, so I stayed home and went rollerblading, watched a movie, got my hair done, bought a new summer dress, cleaned out a closet, called a few long-distance friends, stayed up late reading - all of those simple pleasures that I typically set aside when child is underfoot. I can't begin to explain how rejuvenating it felt.

In the kitchen, I notice that when I'm home alone, my former vegetarian self reemerges in that I never cook meat for myself. Ever. The thought doesn't even cross my mind, since all our meat is in the freezer and requires some planning to thaw it out and have it ready to cook by dinnertime. Instead, I find myself making big salads, eating lots of fruit, maybe cheese and crackers, and sometimes just a big mass of cooked veggies like this dish. Add in the fact that our tiny refrigerator was crammed with greens and a head of cauliflower and, well, this dish kept me sustained throughout my wonderful, quiet, leisurely, classic North Dakota summer weekend.

Indian-Style Sauté of Cauliflower and Greens
Adapted from Deborah Madison's behemoth cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  I picked it up at a library book sale where you pay by the pound, so in the library book sale world, it was a splurge, but well worth it. I didn't have any cilantro when I made this, but wish I would've - it will add a nice extra layer of flavor to the dish.

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup butter or ghee
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 small cauliflower, quartered and thinly sliced, including stem
salt
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander
8 ounces baby spinach
1 bunch bok choy, chopped
juice of 1 lime
several pinches of Garam Masala or curry powder
peanuts and cilantro sprigs for garnish

Steam the potatoes until tender.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté until well browned, about 12 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Melt the remaining butter in the same pan over high heat.  Add the cauliflower, season with salt, and sauté until it begins to color in places, after a few minutes.  Return the onion to the pan and add the garlic, spices, and potatoes.  Lower the heat and cook until everything is heated through, about 4 minutes.  Add the greens and 1/2 cup water.  Cover and cook until the greens are wilted, about a minute.  Season with lime juice and a few pinches garam masala, then turn onto a platter and garnish with peanuts and cilantro.