ROASTED ROMANESCO CAULIFLOWER

I found this beautiful cauliflower in one of the markets here in Geneva and was either going to make a green soup out of it (since its lime green) or roast it; I went with the latter. Romanesco cauliflower is a cousin of broccoli and cauliflower. It looks like an alien vegetable and is really green in color, but tastes like a mix between the two vegetables. Roasted cauliflower is so delicious as if covered in the proper spices, it gets crispy on the outside. You can either make the spice mix with yogurt, and that will leave the cauliflower with a nice crust once baked, or simply olive and spices. This is a really easy recipe and a great side dish for lunch or dinner. I made a creamy vegan cashew dressing that went so well with this. I am thinking next time I will bake the cauliflower with the cashew sauce to see if a crust forms. In the meantime, here is the recipe!

Husband approved.

Ingredients:

1 large Romanesco cauliflower (or regular cauliflower)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp Ras el Hanout spice mix

1/2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp paprika

3/4 cup cashew sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F and lightly grease a baking sheet. Trim the bottom of the cauliflower and remove the leaves and the stem. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and all of the spices. Using a pastry brush, cover the cauliflower with the spice mixture. Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet and roast until browned, about 30 to 40 minutes.