Roasted cauliflower has a nutty, sweet flavor that’s hard to resist. My son has eaten it two or three times a week since he was three years old—that’s a lot of cauliflower! To avoid a rut, I’ve added various flavors over the years, brightening the dish and spicing things up. The truth is, Jivan prefers the tried-and-true classic: EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. But for the grown- ups in my life, I’ve come up with this parsley, lemon zest, caper, and jalapeño combo. Just toss it with the cauliflower when it comes out of the oven—and don’t forget to put some plain florets aside for the little ones.
Food
The Bite:
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest, Parsley, Capers, and Jalapeño
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest, Parsley, Capers, and Jalapeño
Athena Calderone, Cook BeautifulIngredients
Serves 4-6
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1 head cauliflower, quartered, cored, and cut into bite-size florets
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 lemon
1 large handful fresh parsley (about 1⁄2 cup), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single
layer. Drizzle with the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the cauliflower, tossing the florets halfway through, until they are deep golden and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes total.
While the cauliflower is roasting, use a vegetable peeler to peel 3 strips of zest from the lemon. Cut each strip crosswise into very thin slices. Cut the lemon in half, reserving one half and storing the other for another use.
Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving bowl. Top it with the parsley, capers, jalapeño, and sliced lemon zest. Squeeze the mixture with the lemon half and drizzle it with more oil. Toss to coat all of the ingredients, and sprinkle with a pinch or two of the flaky salt.
