Roasted Cauliflower

 

It was cool and foggy where we live last week and I suddenly got a craving for roasted vegetables.  So I added potatoes and carrots to my roasted chicken.  I also made Roasted Cauliflower for my vegetarian husband.

Roasted Cauliflower with Plum Sage Jam

Ingredients:

1 ½  teaspoons roasted garlic

1 ½ tablespoons Plum Sage jam

2 teaspoons lime juice

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

1 teaspoon minced fresh mint

1 large head cauliflower

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Rack should be at the lowest level.  Grease bottom of baking pan.

In a small bowl whisk together roasted garlic, jam, and lime juice.  Slowly pour olive oil into mixture until an emulsion is formed.  Add sage, mint and salt.  Set dressing aside.

Trim cauliflower of leaves.  Slice into “steaks” about ¾- inches thick.  Place slices in baking pan in a single layer.  Bake until edges of cauliflower turn a little brown, about 25 minutes. 

Drizzle jam dressing over cauliflower slices.   With rack still at the lowest level, change oven setting to broil.  Broil until cauliflower has browned some more and jam has caramelized, 5-10 minutes.

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Roasted garlic is made by taking an entire head of garlic, cutting it half crosswise and pouring about 1 tablespoon olive oil on it.  Roast in 350°F until garlic is tender about 45 minutes.  When cool, squeeze softened garlic into a bowl.  Add oil from roasting pan and store refrigerated.

Roasting any vegetable concentrates its flavor.  Doing so to cauliflower which is kind of bland, gives it a rich, smoky flavor.  By roasting the jam dressing with the cauliflower, you will experience an explosion of flavor!  Lime juice tempers the sweetness of the jam, fresh sage heightens the earthiness of the herb in the jam, and fresh mint adds a refreshing finish.

This dressing may also be used in salads or as a marinade for roasted pork loin.  What would you use it with?