craving cauliflower (really!)

Hiya dear blog buddies. We have another foodie special tonight. Are you still dreaming of roasted red peppers like I am? Fear not, there's another vegetable to roast to perfection tonight: cauliflower. I know, you're thinking it's broccoli's less-interesting, less-popular cousin, but give it a chance. (Especially if you've ever seen a cauliflower like this one I once bought in Belfast at St. George's Market.) It turns golden and nutty and fabulous and blows cousin broccoli out of the water! So here we go...

Here's your cauliflower. Say hello. Give him a quick rinse.

Cut cauliflower into roughly 2-inch pieces.

Toss on a baking sheet with half a sliced red onion, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, plenty of salt and pepper and more olive oil than you think you need (round about 1/3 cup). Those things attached to the ends of your arms are your most "handy" kitchen tool in this stage to mix it all together.

A little treat for the cook: after mixing together the cauliflower, red onion, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper together with your hands, rub your hands together with the oil left on them for a moment before you wash them and you'll have supple soft hands. Little things like this make me happy.

Then, put your cauliflower/onion mixture in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, mixing it up a bit a few times along the way. You may need to put the oven on broil for the last couple of minutes to make sure your cauliflower gets to optimum golden brown goodness.

You can also be cutting up some lemons.

And yummy, fresh parsley (or any herb you like, really).

Here it is in its golden splendor. As soon as it's out of the oven, add the parsley and serve with the lemon wedges alongside. Right before you eat it, squeeze a little lemon on and it will make that garlicky, nutty, sweet cauliflower sing.

(I should add that this gal likes her scrumptious roasted cauliflower with a side of steak. Mmm.)

Enjoy!