Size isn’t supposed to matter, but…   Wait, I don’t know what you’re thinking but I’m talking about cauliflower.  I opened my most recent CSA box to find the largest head of cauliflower I have ever seen. Criminy!  A cauliflower that impressive deserved star treatment.  I had recently made Roasted Cauliflower based on a recipe from Bon Appetit that was delicious and I couldn’t wait to make it again.  This time, though, I opted to keep the florets large (going back to the bigger is better theme) instead of breaking them into small florets.  I was tempted to cut the  head into 5 or 6 thick slices (or cauliflower ‘steaks’) but realized that  13 people were coming for dinner so that idea wasn’t going to work.  Perhaps next time…

Here is your fun fact of the day.  Did you know that the compact head of a cauliflower is called a ‘curd’?  Nope, me neither.  I learn something new every day, especially when I let my fingers do the walking, aka googling! Cauliflower is a cousin to other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards, although they look nothing alike.  Cauliflower florets are actually undeveloped flower buds which are white because growers make sure the leaves are protecting them from sunlight and preventing them from making chlorophyll.  Otherwise cauliflower would be greenish (cool huh?).  Cauliflower is a good source of fiber and vitamin C and low in carbohydrates which makes it a great substitute for grains and potatoes. I have used cauliflower in place of carbs with great success many times, like in my Cauliflower Pizza Crust (yes, really), Cauliflower Puree (instead of mashed potatoes), a Grain Free Tabouleh (raw, vegan) and even a yummy Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese. In today’s recipe, cauliflower is roasted at a high heat along with olive oil, onions, garlic and thyme and then tossed with parmesan. Mmmm!!! It’s definitely a crowd favorite.  So good!

TIP:  Cutting the larger florets in half gives a flat surface which more easily carmelizes into a golden brown. If you are only serving  a small group, try slicing the head into one inch slices so both sides are easy to carmelize.  I’m definitely trying that next time.

PARMESAN ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head cauliflower
1 large yellow onion
8-10 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsn fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried Italian Herbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 425°. Cut cauliflower into large florets and slice them in half. Place them on a large rimmed baking sheet flat side down.

• Slice onion into thin wedges, taking care not to remove too much of the stem end.  You want to keep the wedges together, Peel garlic and cut larger cloves in half.

• Add onions and garlic to cauliflower.  Sprinkle with thyme and generously season with salt and pepper. Toss with olive oil to coat.

• Roast, until almost tender, 35-40 minutes turning them over half way through.

• Sprinkle with Parmesan, toss to combine, and roast until cauliflower is tender, another 10 minutes.