Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

For Sweetnicks’ ARF/5-a-day Tuesday event!

It is true that I find making complicated recipes relaxing.

I know it seems odd but it’s like anything that requires intense concentration, it leaves little room for anything else.

When I am following a complicated recipes all of my attention is on it, all my troubles and concerns just fall away.  I get delightfully caught up in the ingredients; in the process… making sure that everything is just right.

Its something I look forward to even though my day to day recipes are quick and easy.

Sometimes however; simplicity  really is best.

This recipe came out of the need to use up a cauliflower that was lurking in the wrong side of the fridge.  So it had to be made an example of!  Invited to brunch and set straight.

Unfortunately as I was barely awake and not really in the thinking mode, I figured I would just stick it in the oven and see what turned out.

So while I was rooting around in the cupboard for garlic, because it is a rare dish that I make without garlic, and I ran into my nearly forgotten can of hazelnut oil.

The sleepy brain dialogue went something like this:

Hmmm.  Roasting needs oil…

Hazelnut oil is oil.

Cauliflower is kinda nutty.

Hazelnut oil is nutty.

Garlic is nutty.

Nutty good.

And it was!

Of that first batch not a bite was left, an occurance repeated every time I make this.

Roasting brings out the nuttiness in both the garlic and the cauliflower.  The hazelnut oil deepens this effect.  The taste is subtle though.  And I have a sneaking suspicion that adding toasted hazelnuts to the finished product would just be the icing on the cake.  That is… if I could keep toasted hazelnuts in the house.  They get eaten straight from the toaster oven!

I also think that toasted hazelnuts would make for an elegant presentation!

It can also be dressed down by changing out the exotic hazelnut oil for something more neutral.  Or even a good quality olive oil.

As an aside, I tend to leave the garlic whole.  Whole it roasts slowly, becoming mellow and nutty while subtly flavoring the cauliflower.  Chopped and mixed, the flavor is far more assertive.

As it is, the dish is homey, comforting and utterly delicious.

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower
8-10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1-2 tablespoons of nut oil or other mild oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Cut the cauliflower into flowerets and arrange on a foil lined baking sheet.  Poke the garlic evenly among the flowerets.

Drizzle the cauliflower with oil.  Sprinkle on salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Roast the cauliflower to desired doneness, stirring once during the cooking process.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Comments

[Trisha Lynn]

Finally, a recipe I can make with the things I have at home, save the cauliflower! A question: I was thinking of making either a pork tenderloin in red wine sauce or a duck a l'orange and using this as a side dish. Do you think this would go well together or not?

[Francesca]

Thanks very much for this - I made it this evening! I've credited you on my site.

[Kitarra]

Trish,

This would be a great thing with a pork tenderloin. I would go with something a little more asian with the duck though. But its a great any time side dish.

Fancesca,

Thank you! I love your idea of parboiling it first! I would not have thought of it. Makes it much quicker to prepare. I am going to have to try that next time!

[Tanna Jones]

This is really stellar! Thanks.

[Kitarra]

Thank you Tanna!

I hope you enjoy it! And thank you for visiting!

[Ken Sloan]

mmm... I made this same dish (save the hazelnut oil) with Mediterranean Eggplant Cakes ( http://www.afoodyear.com/2006/01/31/eggplant ) and Chicken Pallaird with Caper Brown Butter ( http://www.afoodyear.com/2006/01/31/chicken ) and I loved it!

[Ken Sloan]

mmm... I made this same dish (save the hazelnut oil) with Mediterranean Eggplant Cakes ( http://www.afoodyear.com/2006/01/31/eggplant ) and Chicken Pallaird with Caper Brown Butter ( http://www.afoodyear.com/2006/01/31/chicken ) and I loved it!

[Kitarra]

Ken,

Oh Man both of those look sooo good! The eggplant cake sounds really good. I am gonna have to try that! To be honest... when ever I am feeling particularly lazy, I tend to do this with almost any vegetable. This same method works for potatoes and asparagus and I am told... though I have not tried it... cauliflower! Its my lazy get out of cooking anything back up plan!

Thank you for stopping by!