Roasted Cauliflower with Green Olives

I have never been all that interested in broccoli or cauliflower but lately, cauliflower has become one of my favorite vegetables. It started with a Roasted Cauliflower and Tahini salad from the deli counter at PCC Natural Market and snowballed from there. Instead of continuing to eat cauliflower in raw form at home, I decided to seek out a recipe that features cauliflower as the main ingredient.

I happen to love green olives so I was immediately drawn to this recipe for Roasted Cauliflower and Green Olives. I love the simplicity of ingredients and the ease of preparation. Recipe follows:

Ingredients:
1 large had cauliflower, about 2 lb
1 cup pitted large green olives, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/3 cup store-bought seasoned croutons, ground to crumbs in food processor

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil 12-by-17-inch nonstick rimmed baking sheet. Cut cauliflower head in half, slicing through core. Using sharp paring knife, remove core from each half and discard. Cut cauliflower into small florets, each about 1/2 inch in diameter.

In bowl, combine cauliflower, olives, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss until cauliflower and olives are evenly coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and spread in single layer. Roast cauliflower and olives for 10 minutes. Stir to toss and continue to roast until florets are slightly golden, 10-12 minutes longer.

Photos Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with parsley and bread crumbs and toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature. (Cauliflower and olives can be roasted up to one day in advance, covered, refrigerated and brought to room temperature before serving).

To serve, mound cauliflower and olives in center of platter or shallow serving bowl. Serves 8.

Side notes: This dish tastes best at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining To save preparation time, look for large green olives that have already been pitted. They can be found prepacked in glass jars or purchased by weight from market olive bars.

This recipe is really wonderful. Roasting tends to bring the sweetness out in vegetables and cauliflower is no exception. The brininess of the olives combines beautifully with the savory qualities of the olive oil and the brightness of the parsley. I ate two small bowls because one just wasn't enough! This is definitely going to become part of my arsenal for easy side dishes. It's a keeper for sure.

Recipe Source:
"Williams-Sonoma Outdoor Entertaining"
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