A simple way to enjoy roasted cauliflower

‘Tis the season! I found cauliflower for $1 a head. After bringing home four heads, I hit the Internet for new ideas on roasting cauliflower, or any new cauliflower idea for that matter. Jadan Hair and her Steamy Kitchen offered an enticing path which I proceeded to follow. At least I followed it to a point. Jadan’s recipe calls for roasting. What I discovered was that our precious 1940’s Wedgewood was not lighting. I talked to it. I pleaded with it and almost cried. It provided a pilot but no flame.

I preach about how you have to be creative. You have to be ready to punt. So I followed my own preaching, somewhat begrudgingly, and heated up a large, heavy skillet. When the skillet was ready, I poured the contents of my roasting pan into the skillet. The cauliflower was already coated with olive oil, so I added none. The bacon also released some fat as it cooked.

Here’s what I learned: The cauliflower had enough water in it to cook without adding water to the skillet. I never would have believed it. I had planned to toss the cauliflower until it just showed signs of browning and then add a tad of water to the skillet and a lid. By the time the cauliflower was browning it was already cooked to perfection. I will be trying this with a few other vegetables, like turnip cubes, for instance.

This dish is simple and tasty– especially if your oven lights. The recipe below requires a working oven. 🙂 We ate the leftovers at room temperature at another meal along with some bits of grilled chicken tenders. These leftovers tasted like anything but leftovers, served with homemade garlic mayonnaise for dipping and a few whole-grain crackers. It was delightful!

Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or your favorite oil that can withstand 325 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices of bacon cut into bite-sized pieces

Roasted Cauliflower Steps

1. Wash the cauliflower and cut it into small pieces, about bite size.
2. Place the cauliflower pieces in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the bacon pieces across a cookie sheet with sides.
4. Arrange the cauliflower over the bacon. The cauliflower should be in a single layer, not crowded or sitting on top of one another.
5. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Toss the cauliflower a bit and check for doneness. If it is still a bit under-cooked for you, try another 3-4 minutes in the oven and check again.
6. Toss the ingredients of the pan well to fully coat the cauliflower with the oil from the bottom.
7. Serve hot or at room temperature.

This cauliflower would also do well as part of a composed salad. It is flavorful enough to stand on its own but also sings beautifully when accompanied by a fine homemade dressing. Consider this as lunch bag fare. It is not messy, but it could have a small container of dressing for a dip.