I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child
Another lovely item from my organic box was a huge head of yellow cauliflower. I delayed cooking it for a few days, as I was so mesmerized by its golden, dandelion-yellow color.
I'm not sure why, but cauliflower sometimes gets a bad rap. Maybe because it is usually prepared in a boring way, or because it doesn't smell terrific when it is cooking. (I was blanching some leftover florets to put in the freezer and Chris came through the kitchen, wrinkling his nose.) But, I actually like it a lot -- even better than broccoli--and was excited to try the yellow version, which supposedly has more vitamins and a slightly different taste than the regular white kind.
Since I was on a roasted vegetable kick this week, I decided to try roasting it. I washed the cauliflower, cored it, and broke off the florets into small pieces. I tossed in a bowl with olive oil, salt, ground coriander, and a dash of garlic powder, and then placed in a 350 degree oven with several un-peeled garlic cloves for about an hour, until the florets were browned and soft.
When I took the pan out of the oven, I couldn't resist -- I popped one of the florets into my mouth. It was sweeter than I expected, and the olive oil and spices gave it a buttery, subtle kick. If I don't eat the entire pan right now, I will either mash these up a bit and mix in some bacon, peas and a sharp cheese, or I will sauté some shrimp in garlic and coriander, toss in the cauliflower and add both plus some fresh herbs to a bowl of pasta.
xoxoxo
