This Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Is a Showstopper

Christine: I tend not to jump on trends, partially because I live in a bubble of raising two children and two dogs, and partially because I can’t be bothered to care. So there are no recipes for cauliflower pizza crust or cauliflower chocolate chip cookies, but this is a very good (and easy!) recipe that celebrates roasted cauliflower with its nutty texture and caramelized moreishness and then smothers it in a loosely French-by-way-of-Italy lemon caper vinaigrette.

(Related: This Must-Try Vegan Pasta Dish Unexpectedly Features Brussels Sprouts)

Lemon Caper Roasted Cauliflower

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60 mL) golden raisins, chopped
• 2 small heads cauliflower, quartered
• ¼ cup (60 mL) + ½ cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• ½ cup (125 mL) fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 mL) Dijon
• mustard
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup (60 mL) capers, chopped

For serving

• ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C).
2. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water and let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with ¼ cup (60 mL) of the olive oil and the salt. Arrange the cauliflower, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower for 15 to 20 minutes, until decisively charred.
4. In the same large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and maple syrup. Slowly pour in the remaining ½ cup (125 mL) olive oil, whisking all the while. Drain the raisins and add to the dressing along with the capers. Whisk to combine.
5. Pour the dressing over the cauliflower. If serving immediately, garnish with chopped parsley. You can also let the dressed cauliflower marinate in an airtight container in the fridge overnight and serve either cold or at room temperature the next day. Simply platter the cauliflower and remember to garnish with the parsley before serving. Store the dressed and ungarnished cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tip: If you want to go a little more bonjour and a little less ciao with this recipe, swap out the ½ cup (125 mL) olive oil in the vinaigrette for an equal amount of warm brown butter. Because butter is solid when it’s chilled, be sure to serve this version of the recipe warm or, if serving the next day, toss it in a hot skillet to warm slightly and make everything taste incroyable.

Excerpted from How to Eat with One Hand. Copyright © 2020 by Christine Flynn and Emma Knight. Photography by Suech and Beck. Published by Penguin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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