Of top 10 foods I hated as a kid, cauliflower was most certainly among that list. Maybe it wasn’t the king-pin of evil food – that title goes to brussels sprouts – but it was up there. Cauliflower has it rough. The looks of broccoli, widely accepted as a kid-friendly vegetable, but far from an similar taste. Cauliflower was the annoying little brother, and I was NOT a fan. I had two annoying little brothers already…
Cauliflower doesn’t necessarily taste much different from how I remembered – but the things that I once hated are now pretty swell. That crunch – often lacking from broccoli – was once alarming to a gentle 5-year-old me. I’ve become a huge fan of the cauliflower texture.
So, the question arises: do we learn to love food or do our taste buds just change? Is it something we can learn, or something that must happen passively? For the sake of you and me and this recipe, I’m leaning towards the former. For all you cauliflower haters out there, this is a good starting point on the road to recovery. The rest of you wise cauliflower-loving people – gloat in the delicious smells and count down the time before you have everyone else hooked.
Baked Cauliflower Recipe
1 large head of cauliflower, blanched and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 shallots, sliced
1/3 cup capers
1 clove garlic
½ cup parsley
4 red chilies, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
4 tablespoons olive oil
In a high-speed blender, pulse the capers, garlic, parsley and 2 tablespoons olive oil into a chunky paste. Set aside for later.
In a cast iron skillet heat the remaining oil. Cook the cauliflower for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until well-browned. Set the cauliflower aside.
In the skillet, cook the shallots, chilies, and sunflower seeds for about 5 minutes, until soft. Mix with the cauliflower and parsley paste, and serve.