Perhaps
you’ve noticed, perhaps you haven’t, but cauliflower seems to be having a
heyday lately: one can easily find cauliflower masquerading as rice, mashed
potatoes, steak, and even pizza crust. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and
I have even enjoyed sampling some of these cauliflower concoctions, but
sometimes it’s nice to eat a food that’s not trying to be something it’s not.
If the
examples I mentioned above are considered health food, then this is probably
the comfort food version of cauliflower. Coated liberally in a spiced
vinaigrette, this cauliflower gets roasted in the oven until tender, golden
brown, and so flavorful that I want to eat the entire pan every time. The only
bad thing about this recipe is that it's always gone too quickly.
Fun
Fact: Cauliflower is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, a group that
also includes broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Cruciferous
vegetables provide sulfurous compounds that may aid in cancer prevention.
Whether or not these specific compounds are responsible, an inverse association
has been found between cruciferous vegetable consumption and cancer rates in
large populations. So enjoy some cruciferous comfort food.
Curry-Roasted
Cauliflower
adapted from epicurious.com
Large
head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets (8-10 cups)
1 onion,
peeled, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges and separated into layers
½ green
pepper, cut into ¾-inch square pieces, optional
½ cup
olive oil
2 Tablespoons
red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon
paprika
3 ½
teaspoons curry powder
1
teaspoon ground coriander
1
teaspoon ground cumin*
1 scant
teaspoon salt (closer to ¾ tsp.)
Preheat
the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place
the cauliflower, onion, and green pepper, if using, in a large bowl. Whisk
together the olive oil, vinegar, spices, and salt, and pour over the
vegetables. Toss well so that everything is coated. Spread the vegetables onto
the baking sheet, scraping as much of the spice mix out of the bowl as
possible. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and golden
brown, almost charred in some places. Serve warm or at room temperature.
*If you
have the means, I highly recommend keeping home-ground cumin around. Many
grocery stores sell cumin seeds in bulk. If you toast the seeds in a pan until
fragrant, then grind in a mortar and pestle or coffee/spice grinder, your cumin
will pack way more punch than the bottles of pre-ground spice you get at the
store.
