Roasted Cauliflower
We love Nuba Restaurant’s “Najib’s Special Cauliflower.” Alas, I have no deep fryer (it’s flash deep fried apparently) and no plans to get one anytime soon. However, in surfing around I found a slew of recipes for baked versions that while not quite the same…are pretty amazing. Let me put it this way, my daughter will eat a whole head of cauliflower by herself.
For my version you will need:
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
3 Tbsp olive oil. You want enough to coat the cauliflower pieces but not drown them.
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp of ground Sumac (you can find it at Greek or Middle Eastern grocery stores)
1 tsp Za’atar (see above). For more info on Za’atar click here.
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Method
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Wash and cut the cauliflower into bite sized pieces. I separate the florets and the slice them in 1/4 inch pieces (you are after surface area).
If you’ve never cut up cauliflower before here’s a handy video from Patak’s Kitchen Tips.
Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and toss with cauliflower pieces.
Place cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer lined with parchment paper (paper not critical just makes for easier clean up).
- Roast for 15 minutes, turn and roast for another 15 minutes or until the edges of the cauliflower start to brown.
- Serve immediately…this is best warm.
Yield: Enough for 4 side dishes or one meal for my daughter.