I know it’s a little weird, but here’s something so compelling about cauliflowers – I spot them sitting in the supermarket, or (like the one in these pictures) on the Helen’s Bay Organic stall at St George’s – all pristine, nestled in their green overcoats – peeping shyly at me. I can’t resist them – I have to take one home!
Mr Sat. Night does a mean cauliflower cheese – the recipe is on this site – but sometimes you want something different, hence my addition of this roasted cauliflower recipe.
It’s a perfect addition to the standard roast dinner, you just throw it all together, and give it 30 minutes in the oven – possibly your easiest vegetable ever. And there’s never any left over..
EQUIPMENT:
- A baking tray, large enough to hold the cauliflower pieces in one layer
- a good sized freezer bag
INGREDIENTS:
- A fresh cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- salt to taste
- two tablespoons of rapeseed oil
METHOD:
- Cut away the green leaves
- starting at the base of the cauliflower, cut it into florets
- Cut any really large florets in half – they should all generally be a similar size – but don’t make the mistake of cutting them too small, thinking they’ll never cook – they cook really quickly, and shrink while they do it!
- Put the florets into the plastic bag
- Add the cumin seeds, ground cumin, the salt and the oil
- Seal the bag tightly and give it a really good shake to distribute the spices and oil – you can store it like this for a while until you’re ready to cook them – give them one last good shake if they’ve been sitting about.
- Pour the florets onto the baking tray and place in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes,
Oven-ready – I often add a sprinkle of extra oil before roasting..
- Turn them about halfway through, taste a small piece, and sprinkle a little extra salt if required
Nearly done !
- Finish cooking, until they are nicely toasted and the bases are easily stabbed with a knife.
- Transfer the whole lot into a dish and watch it disappear!
NOTES:
- As soon as the heat hits them, the most amazing aroma will be created, prompting family to stick their heads around the kitchen door wondering if you need any help setting the table?
I started writing down recipes in an old copybook when I was about 16. With 6 children at home, my Mother was always glad of a hand in the kitchen, and really allowed us to experiment - as long as we washed up afterwards, and left the kitchen immaculate! Having a tidy kitchen has followed me through my life, as has the habit of writing down my favourite recipes; except that these days I write them for my website, and add photographs when I can. The website really started when it occurred to me that my daughter might like to have these recipes when I've forgotten them. In my early days of cooking for family and friends, I used to phone my Mum all the time to ask her for the recipe for some of our favourite family dinners. She rarely had a recipe to hand - I think, like me, she made a lot of it up as she went along.. So welcome to Eating for Ireland - these are the recipes that my friends and family having been eating these past 40 years.. yes, I truly am ancient! They are tried and tested, and have worked for me for all that time - I have updated them as new ingredients became available - I really hope you'll find something that you can make into a family favourite of your own. You don't have to tell anyone where you found these great new dishes that you're serving up - it can be our little secret, but I'd really love it if you could give me a sneaky 'follow' on Facebook and Instagram.. So off you go - have a good rummage around, you're bound to find something new! My sincere thanks to all of you who have found a recipe that you liked and dropped me a line to tell me - I really do love to hear from you! Happy Cooking! Becks xx