Caramelized Cauliflower Plain and Fancy
Serves 6
Plain
The cauliflower part one of this recipe is a revelation to all who believe they hate the vegetable.
When we first made this dish for our kids, it became an instant hit. It’s hard to resist its salty, sweet, crusted golden flavor.
Fancy
One summer night, looking for a change, I added some Sicilian flavors to the basic cooked
vegetable. We served it at room temperature and loved it. You can also substitute escarole greens for the chopped, sauteed cauliflower; then stir and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Add to the hot pot with capers and raisins.
The cauliflower part one of this recipe is a revelation to all who believe they hate the vegetable.
When we first made this dish for our kids, it became an instant hit. It’s hard to resist its salty, sweet, crusted golden flavor.
Fancy
One summer night, looking for a change, I added some Sicilian flavors to the basic cooked
vegetable. We served it at room temperature and loved it. You can also substitute escarole greens for the chopped, sauteed cauliflower; then stir and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Add to the hot pot with capers and raisins.
INGREDIENTS
PLAIN
- 1 head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced (pieces will crumble; doesn’t matter)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
FANCY
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, well rinsed
- 3 tablespoons golden raisins
- 1 recipe Caramelized Cauliflower Plain (see above)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until the cauliflower is lightly caramelized, turning once, about 30 minutes. Serve as is for the plain version or proceed with the variation below for the fancy version.
- Heat a small pan, and then add olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the capers and raisins and cook for another minute.
- Drizzle the caramelized cauliflower with the caper mixture and parsley and toss to coat well. Serve warm or at room temperature.
cook's note
For a variation, try substituting escarole for the chopped cauliflower.
pantry
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