Taking the Cheese Out of Cauliflower

No cheese here – Lemon-Garlic Roasted Cauliflower 

As a kid, I used to love cauliflower because my mom, Carol, always made a really decadent cheesy sauce to go on top. She made this béchamel-based sauce so frequently (it went on broccoli, too) that she had one of those electric self-stirring sauce-making appliances that were so popular in the '80s. Without that cheese sauce though, the cauliflower itself was kinda boring. (Don't judge my mom on her '80s cauliflower, she's an exceptional cook! Sorry mom!) Fast forward to 2014, and, along with our hair styles, cauliflower has evolved; like kale and Brussels sprouts before it, now it's actually kinda hip. 

One of my favourite ways to serve it up is to roast it. Roasting brings out its sweetness, making it – dare, I say – almost addictive. The great thing about cauliflower is that it's a blank canvas that'll take any kind of spices or seasoning. Here's a base recipe and inspiration for switching it up.

Roasted Cauliflower 
Prep Time: 10 min. | Total Time: 45 min. | Serves: 4

1 head cauliflower, cut in florets or sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch each salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Toss cauliflower in oil, salt and pepper to coat. Spread cauliflower evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; place in middle rack of oven. Roast for approx. 30 min., stirring half way through, until cauliflower is tender and starting to brown and caramelize.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to
prevent sticking and for easy cleanup

Switch it Up!
Lemon-Garlic Toss with 1 clove minced garlic and zest of 1 lemon before roasting. (Garnish with thyme, if you're taking a photo and need a hit of green – see above!)

Mediterranean Once roasted, toss with 1/2 cup chopped grape tomatoes, 1 tbsp chopped capers and/or olives and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. 

Middle Eastern Toss with 1 tsp each ground cumin and turmeric before roasting (if like Middle Eastern herbs and spices, sumac would be delicious here, too, or try 1 tbsp za'atar instead).

Herbed Panko Once roasted, toss with 1/4 cup toasted panko crumbs (sautéed in 1 tbsp butter until golden) and 2 tbsp chopped parsley.

Parmesan (okay, technically this is cheese but it's delicious!) In the last 10 min. of roasting, once cauliflower is tender, sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and continue roasting until parmesan is melted and golden, approx. 10 min.

I'd love to hear how you're cooking up cauliflower – do you go classic or are you trying something new? I'm going to try this recipe from Jamie Oliver next, where he turns cauliflower into faux rice. I'll let you know how it goes.