This is a dish with lots of big, aggressive flavors contrasting with the sweetness of the cauliflower. Goes well with roast chicken, burgers, grilled chops, or sausages.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets 12-15 fresh sage leaves (or to taste) ½ to 1 tablespoon chili flakes (or to taste)* 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and really finely minced Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup capers, rinsed and dried really well in paper towelling Olive oil as neededMETHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Foil cover a heavy sheet pan and oil it well. Place in the oven.
Cut each floret in half if it is larger than 1-inch across. Put the cauliflower into a large non-reactive bowl and spray or drizzle with oil. Toss, being sure to coat the cauliflower well. Season with salt and pepper all over. Sprinkle with chili flakes and garlic, being sure to spread it all over the cauliflower and avoid clumps.
Bruise the sage leaves by squeezing in your hand or running the top edge along the length of the leaf.
Lightly oil the dried capers and have close at hand.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and scatter the sage leaves onto it. Pour the cauliflower onto it. Use tongs to put the cut sides of the florets facing down. Scatter the capers over the cauliflower, trying to get onto the florets. Turn oven down to 375°F.
Return the pan to the oven and roast 12-15 minutes. Check the cut surfaces of the cauliflower-they should be caramelizing and a nice golden color. If not, cook a few minutes more. If, so, turn them with tongs and roast another 8-10 minutes. The cauliflower should be tender, with some of the large pieces retaining a hint of crunch, and the florets should be caramelized. Be careful not to let the garlic burn or it will taste acrid.
When the florets are tender and caramelized, the dish is ready. Serve hot or room temperature.
Chef’s Notes:
*If you have it, urfa biber is a nice chili to use here. Urfa is a Turkish chili flake that is always a little wet and is a dark reddish brown in color. The flavor has notes of chocolate and tobacco as well as being fruity with a milder heat than regular chili flakes. A mix of urfa and chili flakes would make for a great combo of flavor and heat. The Espelette pepper of the Basque region would also be a great pepper to use in this recipe.
The capers should be dry for this recipe so they will open up and get crisp, allowing their floral flavor to show.
This same flavoring would work on blanched cauliflower that is then sautéed and seasoned with the same ingredients once the florets are colored.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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