Do not hate on cauliflower

Cauliflower and Romanesca

I used to loathe cauliflower—the rubbery kind that restaurants throw in salads to take up volume. It never really tasted like anything and is usually accompanied by the phrase, “Roughage is good for you.”

But hold on fellow cauliflower haters out there: Cauliflower can be delicious! I tried a recipe from The Oregonian’s Mix Magazine and was surprised at how much I liked cauliflower. All it took was some lemon, capers, parsley and a hot oven to help the misunderstood vegetable shine. Check out the recipe here or below.

And if you’re feeling adventurous, add or substitute romanesca (the broccoli/cauliflower alien veggie) to the mix.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemons, Capers & Parsley

From “Dirt Divas,” by Leslie Cole, Aug./Sept. 2008

Makes 4 servings

2 small to medium heads cauliflower
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or lemon thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons drained capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into florets, mostly the same size, but a few smaller ones are OK (they will create extra-crispy bits). Cut any large florets in half lengthwise. In a large bowl toss cauliflower with the olive oil and thyme; season generously with salt and pepper and toss again until everything’s evenly distributed.

Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet (you may need two) and roast until florets are tender, collapsed and golden brown on their cut faces and around the edges, at least 20 minutes, possibly longer. Meanwhile, stir together the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and capers. When the cauliflower is ready to serve, toss it with the lemon mixture and the fresh parsley and serve right away.