Roasted Popcorn Cauliflower

So named because this dish looks like charred popcorn and the cauliflower has a smooth yet crisp feel in your mouth. After taking an anatomy and physiology exam that I'm not quite sure I aced, the last thing I wanted to face was a night of complicated dinner-making. Even chopping seems too arduous at the end of the day. But I stole my courage and broke out the head of cauliflower from last week's CSA package. I caught that bad boy in the nick of time because it was sprouting a few spots of mold. No worries, though because I just snipped it off and the majority of the cauliflower was still firm and edible.

Unlike most leafy greens, that need to be stemmed and rolled and cut and then cut again, cauliflower can just be haphazardly hacked at, making it perfect for lazy evening meals. After a few hits, you chuck it into a roasting pan covered in parchment paper (nothing to clean), toss it in some olive oil, salt and pepper and that's it. And don't let it's white color fool you. Cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse. Like its cruciferous counterparts, broccoli and kale, it's full of antioxidants, fiber, folate and even omega-3 fatty acids.

You can add to this basic recipe some smoked paprika or coarse bread crumbs added in the last 10 minutes. Top with some freshly chopped herbs, like thyme or marjoram.

Roasted Cauliflower
from Whole Living, November 2010

Preheat oven to 450. Cut 1 head cauliflower crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and season with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until tender, about 10 minutes more.