ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

I WAS WALKING through the green market at Columbia University last week and found little baby cauliflowers. The white ones didn't interest me but the yellow and purples ones did. So, I bought a couple of each and immediately thought about roasting them - impulse food shopping often carries my imagination away. 

A few facts: all cauliflowers are descendants of the Romanesco cauliflower (green with pointed florets), which was eaten in ancient times. All of the other cauliflowers don't seem to have appeared on the scene before the 18th century. There are hundreds of varieties throughout the world, more than 80 of which are found in North America. Purple cauliflower has the same antioxidants found in red cabbage and red wine. The orange variety was discovered in a field in Canada and contains a good deal more Vitamin A than the white varieties. 

Just so you know, cauliflower is extremely good for you. It possesses almost the same health benefits as cabbage and has been known to reduce the causes of prostate cancer. It is also very nutritional as it is low in carbohydrates and fats and provides plenty of dietary fiber and Vitamin C to ensure healthy living. Much of the nutritional value of the vegetable is washed away - pardon the pun - when boiled, but roasted! Well, that's another story completely. There is nothing quite so delicious as a crunchy, roasted cauliflower floret dipped into a bagna cauda or eaten with spaghetti as the Sicilians do.

Heat the oven to 350º or if using convection 325º.

Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper and set aside.

To roast the cauliflower, remove all outer leaves from 2 medium sized colored cauliflower (purple and gold work but the green romanescos are great tooand break or cut away the center stem at the base. Gently pull apart all of the florets (uniformity in size is not important here) and rinse under cold water and let drain in a colander. 

Put all of the florets in a large bowl and sprinkle on salt and pepper and toss. In a small bowl pour about 1/4 cup of olive oil, add 1 tsp of thyme and a generous squirt of anchovy paste of 4 mashed anchovy filets (if using anchovy filets I often pour some of the anchovy oil from the can into the bowl as well). Mix well and pour over the cauliflower and toss until well coated. Add one whole head of garlic, cloves separated with cracked casings but left on each clove. Toss again and pour contents of the bowl onto the parchment paper. Spread out the vegetables evenly around the pan and roast in the oven for one hour or more depending on how crunchy and blistered you want your cauliflower. You should periodically check on the vegetables and turn the pan midway through the roasting period. 

When the cauliflower is done, remove from the oven and let cool. At this point, you can either use for an antipasto platter with bagna cauda or use as an ingredient in another dish like the one which is going to follow directly.

Sicilians usually make Spaghetti with Cauliflower with olive oil, cauliflower, oregano and lemons. The other night, knowing that I had roasted cauliflower and other leftovers in the fridge, I decided to make a variation on this theme with a few additions here and there. Not including the prep time of roasting, chopping and mincing, the cooking time for this dish should be approximately 15 minutes.

Olive oil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

5 cloves roasted garlic. minced

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, minced

1 small stalk from the top of a fennel bulb, minced plus the attached fronds

1/4 white wine

2 roasted cauliflower (one yellow, one purple as described above)

1 cup leftover arugula salad (dressed only in olive oil and vinegar)

8 pitted olives

1/2 preserved lemon plus 4 tbs. preserved lemon juice

1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme

3 tbs. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 whole lemon (juiced, but reserve the shells with the rind)

Kosher salt

Romano cheese

1 lb. long dry spaghetti 

Fill a large pot with water and set it over high heat. When the water comes to the boil add a handful of Kosher salt, the two empty lemon shells and insert the pasta. Stir often and cook until al dente (for boxed pasta anywhere between 9-11 minutes).

While water is heating, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sprinkle on the pepper flakes, if using. Add the garlic, onion and the fennel and saute until soft and translucent. Add the white wine and cook down until you have about 2 tablespoons of liquid. Add the cauliflower, the olives and the arugula and cook gently over moderate heat until most os the liquid is absorbed. Juice the lemon, add the lemon juice, the thyme and the parsley and continue to cook until the liquid takes on a syrupy consistency. 

When pasta is finished, remove lemon rinds, drain in a colander and turn the entire contents into the frying pan. Toss with more olive oil and make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Add some cheese and serve immediately with more cheese at the table.

Buon appetito!

Sorry, no pictures!