Cauliflower needs little introduction as most people are familiar with this vegetable. Here in the West, cauliflower is often steamed, boiled, baked, or roasted. It can also be eaten raw, something that was totally new to me when I first moved here. In my culture, cauliflower is usually cooked in vegetable stir fries. Occasionally, it is added as a “filler” to bulk up meaty dishes.
I buy cauliflower on a regular basis because it is easily available and keeps well in the refrigerator. I like its crunchy texture and snow-white appearance. Apart from the usual vegetable stir fries, I also like adding cauliflower to fried rice.
Of late, roasted cauliflower is all the rage. I was eager to jump on the bandwagon and found the perfect opportunity yesterday evening. I had planned on preparing this Pistachio Pesto Crusted Whitefish and needed side dishes to go with it. Since I was going to turn on the oven, I decided to cook everything in it including some Baked Spicy Garlic Potato Wedges. It was all very tasty.
Over the 4th of July holiday, we made a short trip to Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan. It is beautiful country up there and the weather was great. We had a good time and ate lots of fish. We even brought some fresh Lake Superior Whitefish and Trout home with us.
The picture below was taken at dusk in Hancock. This bridge connects Hancock, across from Portage Lake to Houghton. It is the world’s heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge and is the only road based link to the rest of Upper Michigan.
Roasted cauliflower can be flavored with whatever spices and herbs you have on hand. I used lemon pepper and some fresh thyme from my herb shelf out on our new service patio. Thyme is one of my favorite herbs. It is fabulous with roasted vegetables and meats.
- 1 small head (2 lb/900g) cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tsp lemon pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Toss cauliflower with lemon pepper, salt, thyme, and olive oil. Place on a large baking tray in one single layer.
- Roast in a 425°F (220°C) oven for about 20 minutes turning cauliflower once.
- Remove and serve immediately.
The recipe for this flavorful and buttery Pistachio Pesto Crusted Whitefish will be posted next. Please do visit again soon. You don’t want to miss it!
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Everything looks delicious! I love the way you cook the fish, no frying involved! I have been thinking of roasting cauliflowers too but somehow alway ended up stirfrying it because it is faster lol!
Thanks Jeannie! Yes, I completely agree that stir frying is the fastest. The good thing about roasting though is that you can put everything into the oven and let it do the cooking. 🙂 It worked out really well in this case since both the cauliflower and potato wedges needed the same temperature.
Hi Biren,
I must try this soon. I have limited ways to cook cauliflower – steamed , with fried rice, with macaroni cheese bake and stir fry with other vegetables chinese style. This looks delicious. Looking forward to see your fish post soon!
Whenever I turn on the oven, I always try to use it to the max by putting in the main and side dishes. So much easier that way.
This is definitely a great alternative to stir fry. Do give it a try and be adventurous with the seasoning. 🙂
What a great idea to use lemon pepper for this gorgeous cauliflower! 🙂
Thanks Ramona!
Oh yum with lemon, thyme and olive oil! That’s the perfect flavor combination ever for roasted cauliflower. Thank you for sharing Biren!
I was quite pleased with the way it turned out, Helene. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
For our past 3 Thanksgiving dinners, my daughter roasts a head of cauliflower with olive oil, garlic, and parmesean cheese. Everyone loves it!