Cauliflower. Oh, cauliflower.
We all have vegetables that we don’t hate, but we don’t really eat either. They are too intimidating to prepare, or they are unfamiliar, or they are just…blech. That’s how I always felt about cauliflower.
Look at it! It’s a bleached, dead looking broccoli! And the flavor? Eh. I didn’t hate it, but I certainly didn’t go out of my way to eat it. Unless it was the last option on a slightly wilted veggie plate (and it’s always the last choice on a slightly wilted veggie plate), I steered clear.
And then, I met fried cauliflower at a Lebanese restaurant in LA. Among the lamb brains, lamb cheeks and other such delicacies, the fried cauliflower stood out as one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. Seriously! Now, unfortunately, I went on a diet pretty soon afterwards, so fried veggies were banned from my table, but I just couldn’t forget that crispy, oily, tasty cauliflower.
And friends, I have found the replacement. Roasted cauliflower. Perfect, divine roasted cauliflower.
And it’s easy to make, even for kitchen dunces such as myself.
Oh, so delicious. I definitely did not take this fantastic picture. Thank you to Sommer at A Spicy Perspective for such a great recipe and gooooorgeous photos!
Drool Worthy Roasted Cauliflower (Adapted from the recipe by A Spicy Perspective)
1. Pre-heat your oven to 425°. If you are lucky like me, your fancy oven will play a little song when it’s ready. It’s a kitchen dance party!
2. While the oven is heating, cut the florets off the cauliflower head. You are creating tiny little white trees! You are a god! A GOD. Revel in your power.
3. Put all the florets in a baking sheet with raised sides. Coat them in olive oil (No. I don’t know how much. Do it until it feels right! What, you think this is an actual cooking blog? Come on, now.)
4. Sprinkle the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Extra points for freshly ground pepper because all pepper should be freshly ground. And if you’re feeling extra hoity toity, add whatever herbs and spices you think sound good.
5. Stick the tray in the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Start an episode of Games of Thrones on your laptop. Watch the episode while sitting at the kitchen table smelling the veggies. Get really into the episode. Exclaim over the violence and boobs.
6. Every so often, tear yourself away from your laptop and stir the florets. You don’t want those guys on one side for too long. They’ll end up burnt, not roasted.
7. Take those suckers out of the oven, serve them up, and eat while they’re good and hot! Warning – your world will change.
The recipe from A Spicy Perspective includes directions for a tahini sauce, but if you’re lazy/don’t want to find tahini paste like me, you’ll be fine. The cauliflower is pretty darn tasty on its own.
I plan on making a head of this every week FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. So happy.
