Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

As Thanksgiving, the holiday of food, approaches, everyone is looking for interesting/original/uncomplicated items to add to the menu.  But wouldn’t it be nice if the new recipe you tried was so easy and so delicious, that you just ended up making it all the time?  I think that would be a beautiful thing.

Don’t get me wrong!  Brussels sprout gratin with gruyere, fresh herbs, and toasted anchovy bread crumbs sounds good too.  I just don’t always have time for a side dish that requires that many steps and that level of energy.  I’ll do a Thanksgiving round-up in the next post, but you can rest assured that my desserts will be make-ahead but that I will have way too many things on the menu.  I’m reliable that way.  Because…you know….its good to be consistent….

This recipe is basically the exact same way I make my roasted broccoli.  Of course, using cauliflower gives it a whole different flavor.  The vegetables get nice and sweet and the parmesan adds a nice salty texture.  It is quite lovely and it is incredibly hard to keep your fingers out of the bowl.  Being nice and light comes in handy so you can load up on the butter smothered mashed potatoes.  The perfect part, is that it tastes special, but only requires the effort of a typical quick dish for a weeknight meal.  It roasts so fast you can pop it into the oven at the very very last minute and let it do its thing while you round up the troops to eat.  By the time everyone washes hands, finds a seat, and the noise level cools off so that you can hear the blessing of the food, your dish is done and steaming hot on the table
One Year Ago: Green Beans W/Mushrooms & Bacon
Two Years Ago: Rum Pumpkin Pie
Three Years Ago: Marshmallow Pumpkin Dip

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
This recipe doubles easily and reheats great.  Don’t skimp on the fresh cracked black pepper.  It makes all the difference.

1 large head of fresh cauliflower, trimmed, rinsed, and cut into bite-sized florets
extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425.  Toss the cauliflower and oil together sprinkle with salt and pepper together, coating the vegetables evenly and spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Roast for 10 minutes, then toss lightly with a spatula to let them toast evenly.  Return them to the oven for another five minutes, or until evenly browned and the largest pieces are just starting to lose their firmness, but aren’t getting mushy.  Immediately sprinkle with parmesan and toss together, letting the heat of the pan and the veggies warm the cheese.  Serve immediately.