Thursday, March 14, 2013
In the foodie world, it appears that cauliflower is the “it” vegetable of 2013. As well it should be, this amazing white, crunchy, unique tasting crucifer. It’s particularly high in vitamins C, K, folate, and a whole host of health-promoting phytonutrients; a great source of fiber; and very low in calories. (More nutritional info here.) Indeed, it’s one of my best-loved vegetables that has not gotten the attention it deserves on my blog—which is ironic given my backlog of photos and recipes starring cauliflower. That’s about to change with this next set of posts designed to showcase this wonderful plant. Coming soon:
- Colorful roasted cauliflower (intrigued?)
- Smashed cauliflower
- Savory Sicilian cauliflower salad
- Roasted cauliflower soup (and several creative variations like adding broccoli or artichokes and leeks)
- Modern aloo gobi (Indian cauliflower with potatoes and peas)
All of these recipes obviously begin with roasting the cauliflower, hence the title of today’s post. Regular readers know that roasting vegetables is one of my favorite things to do, so much so that I have a written post describing the basic method using the example of Brussels sprouts and two videos (one showing the how-to with pumpkins and another talking about the process with squash). It’s for this reason that I didn’t feel the need to create a video today, as all it would show was me putting the cauliflower into the oven, tossing it around a bit, and taking it out again. But I do want to provide photos to highlight the very simple steps and finished product. To recap:
Roasted Cauliflower
1. Cut and wash the cauliflower. Use a knife or break apart with your fingers. Whatever makes you happy.
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2. Toss with extra-virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Roast in a hot oven (425F or 450F) 20-40 minutes, tossing every 12 minutes or so, until nicely browned and crispy in parts but not mushy.
Roasted cauliflower is fantastic on its own, make no mistake. It’s thus high time to begin making it at home if it’s not already part of your dinner-time repertoire. And please do stay tuned for how it’s showcased in a number of fabulous sides, soups, and salads that I look very forward to sharing with you in the next several days.
Do note that it’s very difficult to stop nibbling as soon as it comes out of the oven, warm, directly off the cookie sheet.
Kind of like I’m doing right now.
Does broccoli roast as well as cauli? I love roasted cauli but of course you forgot to add a little parmesan and bread crumbs to throw in at the last minute!! But does broc roast up as well given its little tiny branches (wouldn’t want them to burn)?
Hey, the Sicilian cauliflower salad came complete with toasted breadcrumbs. Whole grain, of course. 😉 And you saw my soups garnished with breadcrumbs, too. (Do you make them from scratch? Wicked easy and way better than the box.) Anyway… sure, but takes a lot less time than cauli so toss more frequently and watch closely. Still the easiest way to cook veggies, in my view, with no nutrient leaching (from boiling) and superior flavor. Thanks for the question!