If you’ve never liked cauliflower, consider this version, roasted with garlic and Parmesan cheese, then topped with some lemon juice. We loved it.
Mark Guydish | For Times Leader
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Here are the ingredients for garlic-Parmesan roasted cauliflower.
Mark Guydish | For Times Leader
As I noted in a 2022 test kitchen about a cauliflower and bean paella recipe, the cruciferous white heads never did much for me, partly because when I was a kid mom over-steamed the florets and usually topped them with orange cheese-like stuff from a jar (she tried more sophisticated recipes in her later years).
The paella was a very good variation, as was a roasted cauliflower MT did for a test kitchen last year. And while the former was done in a stove-top pan and the latter in an oven, they shared one common feature: Caramelization. Browning not only gives cauliflower a different texture, it enhances the flavor with a bit of sweetness and complexity.
So when MT bought a head at the Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market but didn’t use it for a few days, I decided to look for a new recipe to try. Regular readers know why this one would immediately get my attention, it has 2 favorite ingredients: Garlic and Parmesan cheese.
I served it with codbaked with wine and herbs, mashed potatoes, peas and the roasted pumpkin MT wrote about last week. MT’s mom came over to join the meal and all three of us thoroughly enjoyed this new side dish, which retains enough cauliflower flavor to be recognized but gets a real boost with the blend of the other flavors.
If you are looking for something new to put on the Thanksgiving menu this year, consider this option. It is appropriately seasonal, and with the browning even takes on some autumnal color. We haven’t finalized the menu for the feast we’re hosting, but this has landed on the short list of options.
Dobru chut!
Roasted cauliflower with garlic and Parmesan (dishingouthealth.com)
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of the oven, then heat oven to 450°. The chef, Jamie Vespa, says the heated sheet assures a better, more even browning.
Cut the cauliflower into small florets and add to a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Empty cauliflower onto preheated baking sheet. Arrange florets in a single layer, avoiding overcrowding. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once midway through, until lightly charred and tender.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and garlic over cauliflower and place back in the oven for 5 more minutes.
Spritz lemon juice over top and garnish with fresh parsley; toss and serve.
