Think, Eat, Be Healthy

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe-Italian Style

italian style roasted cauliflower

This Italian style roasted cauliflower recipe is fast, easy to prepare and very tasty hot or cold.

About Cauliflower and this roasted cauliflower recipe

Roasted cauliflower recipes are my favorite way to use this vegetable. A whole head of cauliflower is cooked, so there is enough for a crowd or for several single meals. The results are great hot when it comes out of the oven and just as good cold on a salad the next day. Cauliflower readily takes on the flavors in the glaze and the glaze keeps the cauliflower moist and tender.

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family along with broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Though white, it is even more packed with nutrients than broccoli. Cruciferous vegetables are well known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds. Cauliflower is particularly high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate and pantothenic acid.

Look at this Italian style roasted cauliflower recipe as a way of cooking rather than as a specific recipe. There are endless flavor combinations to be explored via different glazes when oven roasting whole heads of this vegetable. I make cauliflower this way with glazes based on mayonnaise, sesame tahini and teriyaki sauce. A thick red chile sauce or a mild mustard can be used as a glaze base. Experiment with the flavors you like best.

Making the roasted cauliflower recipe-Italian style

a whole head of cauliflower

Start with a whole head of cauliflower and rinse it well with cold water.

 

a whole head of cauliflower

Turn the cauliflower stem-side up.

a whole head of cauliflower

Take off as many leaves as possible by hand. Then insert a thin-bladed paring knife at a 45-degree angle into the center of the stem, under the leaves and as close to the florets as possible.

a whole head of cauliflower

Keeping the point of the knife near the center of the stem, cut all the way around to remove the stem but leave all of the florets connected.

a whole head of cauliflower

Remove the last of the leaves by hand, leaving only the florets.

Make the glaze. Start with 1/3 cup of your favorite tomato sauce(try the (almost)traditional Italian fresh tomato sauce recipe). Add 2 teaspoons mustard and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Since the glaze will season the whole head of cauliflower, I like to add additional salt, pepper and herbs. A dash of Worcestershire sauce can also perk things up a little more. Mix everything together well.

http://thinkeatbehealthy.com/2013/09/24/almost-traditional-italian-fresh-tomato-sauce/

Start by covering the stem end of the cauliflower with the glaze. I like to use a silicone pastry brush because they never lose bristles in the food. Work the glaze into the cauliflower between the floret stems so the inside also gets seasoning.

a whole head of cauliflower

This head of cauliflower is ready to turn over.

a whole head of cauliflower

Flip the cauliflower over, placing the glazed stem end on a small baking sheet.

italian style roasted cauliflower

Cover the entire top of the cauliflower with the rest of the glaze.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325-350-degrees until tender, about 1 hour. The time will vary with the size of the head of cauliflower and oven temperature. I like to use the lower temperature for a little longer time to get the stems tender without browning the glaze too much.

When it is tender, cut it into wedges like a cake for serving. Roasted cauliflower recipes are great for serving family-style at the table. Roasted cauliflower can be part of every healthy whole food diet.