Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Ginger

It’s also a great recipe on rushed nights – it takes less than 30 minutes (with very little prep).

This is a very flexible recipe. Love ginger? Add more. Find the cumin too strong? Use less.  Note that this dish doesn't taste nearly as good as leftovers, so only make as much cauliflower as you think you’ll eat that night.

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp cumin
2 TBSP ginger

Steps
1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2 Wash and finely chop cauliflower. The more finely you chop your cauliflower, the faster it will roast. I recommend 0.5 cm slices (yes, it’s small!).
3 Very finely chop the ginger. I like to use a sharp vegetable peeler instead of chopping.
4 In a metal roasting pan, combine all ingredients, tossing to combine well.
5 Roast for approximately 20 minutes, taking the pan out to stir the cauliflower twice. The length of cooking time will vary depending on how small you sliced the cauliflower. Look for it to have a lot of dark brown spots (but not burnt). This will create a sweet, roasted flavour. If you take it out too early it will be pale, limp, and flavourless.
6 ENJOY!

Cauliflower Fritters with Pomegranate

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

For fritters:
1 small head cauliflower, cut into generous 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon table salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive oil for frying

For topping:
3/4 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful pomegranate arils

DIRECTIONS

Bring pot of salted water to a simmer  and add cauliflower, cooking uncovered until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well. Spread on towels to dry.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, garlic and lemon zest. Add cauliflower florets and mash with a potato masher until they’re crushed into an average of pea-sized pieces. Add cheese and stir to combine. In a small dish, whisk flour, salt, pepper and baking powder until evenly combined. Sprinkle over cauliflower batter and stir just until combined.

Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a tray inside. On the stove, heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Once hot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot, scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, flattening it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each fritter. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer to the tray in the oven to keep them warm until needed. Once all fritters are cooked, mix yogurt with cumin, salt and pepper. Spread fritters on serving platter. Dollop each with cumin yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.

Autumn Wild Rice and Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup celery, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup flour

4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups wild rice, cooked

2 cups cauliflower florets, cooked

1 cup cream

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add the sliced celery and mushrooms. Sauté until tender. Dust the celery and mushrooms with flour and stir to coat well. Gradually stir in the vegetable or chicken broth to avoid clumping. Stir constantly until thickened. Add in cooked wild rice, cooked cauliflower and cream. Blend well. Cook gently on low heat until soup is fully heated. Do Not Boil.

Serves 6 to 8.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS

3 cups uncooked cauliflower florets (about one small head), cut small
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toss the cauliflower with the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice so all the florets are coated and seasoned. Spread in a single layer in a baking dish and place in the centre of the oven.

Roast for about 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly. Remove from oven and top with Parmesan. Serve hot.

Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 potatoes, cubed
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 - 1 cup milk
1/4 tsp dill
1/4 tsp dry mustard
black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Put potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, garlic, onions, salt, and stock or water in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Puree this mixture in a blender (you can leave it more chunky than pureed). Put in another pan and whisk in the cheese, milk, dill, dry mustard, and pepper.

Optional: Top with additional steamed cauliflower florets, chives, and/or extra grated cheese.

Cauliflower Popcorn

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 popcorn container (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.

Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy clean-up). Roast for 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That’s the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness. The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste.) Turn three or four times during roasting.

Use crumpled up aluminum foil or paper towels to create a false bottom in your popcorn container, fill it with cauliflower and serve immediately.

Kale and Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup diced onions
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 regular size cauliflower, chopped into pieces
3 1/2 cups of vegetable stock (can use vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 cup of kale, thinly sliced & lightly packed
Fresh tarragon, sea salt, and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in pot and add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add wine and cook until wine is reduced by about half.

Add cauliflower and stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until cauliflower is soft (not mushy). Poke with a fork and it should go through easily but the cauliflower should not fall apart.

Add kale and cook another 5 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat then blend/puree. Add tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with extra tarragon when serving.