
A couple of years ago I went to my 40th year School reunion, and there was Janet, whom I hadn’t seen since we’d parted ways after Junior school. She’s become a great pal on Facebook and introduced me (electronically speaking) to a friend of hers who also has a ‘cookery-and-other-stuff’ website – www.travelfoodcool.com – a much mightier affair than mine
This was my first time trying one of Elin’s recipes, so here are the results of the Irish jury…Douze points! (You need to be European to get that joke, and although she has a house in Italy, Elin lives in Canada, so I need to explain – it means ‘Top Marks’ Elin!)
EQUIPMENT:
- A roasting tray
- a freezer bag
- A sheet of baking parchment (optional)
INGREDIENTS: Depending on the size of your cauliflower, this will feed 4-6 people. Our cauliflower was a small organic one, so it did the two of us very nicely thank you
- One cauliflower, cut into florets, and then cut again into bite-sized pieces – not too small – they shrink as they cook.
- 2-3 tablespoons of Olive or Rapeseed oil (I like Rapeseed oil for this, as it doesn’t mind a high heat, has a lovely colour, and is a home-grown product)
- 2-3 tablespoons of grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped or minced in a garlic crusher
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
- Heat your oven to 200C
- Put a sheet of baking parchment onto the baking tray (optional – I just do this because I’m lazy)
- Put the prepared cauliflower into the freezer bag
- add the oil, minced garlic, salt and a good grinding of pepper
- Close the top of the bag and give it all a really good shake to distribute everything evenly.
- Pour the whole lot onto the baking tray
- Put into the hot oven for 30 minutes, turning the pieces of cauliflower halfway through
- Remove the tray from the oven, then sprinkle over half of the parmesan. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, then sprinkle over the last of the parmesan, and give it 10 more minutes.
- It should be golden and charred, with the Parmesan melted in.
- Serve, with a main course of your choice.
NOTES:
- I started the prep during the afternoon, so come cooking time, it got thrown together really quickly as the parmesan was grated and the cauliflower nicely cut up and resting in its freezer bag.
- Don’t add too much salt as the Parmesan can be salty.
- I like roasted Cauliflower with the garlic and oil as in this recipe, but with some added cumin seeds, and finally a sprinkle of ground cumin instead of the parmesan – cauliflower and cumin are a magical mixture. Try it some time, just to ring the changes.