I have made cauliflower every which way: I’ve blanched it, sauteed it, boiled it, mashed it, deep fried it and eaten it raw. Until I read about it on eGullet.org, though, I never knew I could roast it. This recipe really brings out the richness of the cauliflower and matches it perfectly with the robustness of the spices. I use my fennel rub along with a few other spices. If you have sea salt, it works really well with this recipe. The cauliflower tends to shrink when roasted, so one head of cauliflower is about right for 2 servings. The recipe is adapted from Modern Spice by Monica Bhide (Simon & Schuster 2009).
Makes 2 servings
1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 pounds)
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1 1⁄2 tablespoons fennel-chili rub (recipe follows)
1⁄2 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch florets and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and toss with your hands to coat each floret.
In a small bowl, combine the dry rub, coriander and salt. Add the spice mixture to the cauliflower. Once again, no tool is better than your hands. Get in there and make sure all of the florets are well coated.
Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and spread out evenly in a single layer. Don’t worry if it is a little crowded. If you really cannot fit it on one sheet, use two.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Stir and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is well browned and cooked through. Serve hot.
Fennel-Chili Dry Rub
This is a wonderful rub for meats and fish. While I prefer it as a dry rub, you can add lemon juice or a neutral oil such as grapeseed to make it wet if you prefer. Use the rub on your choice of meat (or cauliflower), allow it to marinate for a few minutes and then grill, roast or saute. As with any spice, if you are going to store this for a long time, ensure it is still flavorful before using. Use your nose -- if you can smell the spices, it is still good to go. If not, toss it and make a fresh batch. This rub lasts for up to two months in a sealed container.
Makes about 1/4 cup
1⁄4 cup fennel seeds
4 whole dried red chilies
1⁄2 teaspoon ground peppercorns (use a medley of different colored peppercorns)
Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds. Toss until the seeds are fragrant. This takes just a minute, so watch them carefully and keep tossing the seeds in the pan or they will burn.
Add the chilies and toss for another 5 seconds.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder. Add the peppercorns and mix well.
Store, covered.
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