Sunday, April 1, 2012

Easter Dishes: Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary Browned Butter and Lemon

Pin It I think it’s a shame that side dishes are so often overlooked at the holiday table. We spend all of our time obsessing over perfecting our roasted turkey, getting the perfect crust on our rib roast, or stunning our guests with the most tender and flavorful ham.  


Meanwhile, we settle for the same old sides – mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and blah heat-and-serve dinner rolls.


The perception is that truly great side dishes take a wealth of time.  But, the fact of the matter is, many of the most delicious dishes require only a few high quality ingredients, and just minutes of preparation time.  Take, for instance, this stunning roasted cauliflower dish.

Roasting isn't usually the first cooking method you’d think of for cauliflower, but the delicious results make it worth remembering. There is something magical that happens when cauliflower is tossed with oil and roasted in high dry heat.   Its sugars caramelize and a deep browning occurs that results in a deliciously nutty flavor.
Paired with the woodsy aroma of fresh rosemary, the nuttiness of browned butter, and the pleasing acidity of fresh lemon juice, this simple side dish will be the star of your Easter table.


©BURP! Where Food Happens

13 comments:

  1. I never at cauliflower until I tried roasting it (same with asparagus). Roasted cauliflower is a pretty common side dish in the (dis)Ordered Kitchen. I haven't though to add rosemary. I will give that a shot the next time around for sure.

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    1. I don't think we make cauliflower any other way these days! Do try it with the rosemary... so good.

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  2. Mmmmmmmm, lovely. I have seen a few cauliflower dishes that have caught my eye today. I think cauliflower it is :)

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    1. Definitely let us know what you think if you try it!

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  3. This looks/sounds wonderful. I'm making this for our Easter dinner. Can't wait!

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    1. Robin - Please check back and let us know how you liked it!

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  4. Whole Foods was out of fresh rosemary, so I had to settle for dried; next time I will wait until I have the fresh in hand. I will also use less lemon; one entire lemon overpowered the dish. The cauliflower roasted beautifully and the brown butter was wonderful. This one's a keeper. Thank you!

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    1. Robin-
      Thanks for the feedback! More specific measurements on the lemon would probably be useful here, as each lemon contains a variable amount of juice. We made this again for Easter dinner, and found that about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice seemed to work well when balanced by a bit of salt.

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  5. Tried this tonight. I loved it and 5yrold asked for thirds. Definitely a keeper. I followed the recipe but halved it because I only needed to serve three, and I served it as a side with grilled fish.

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  6. Tried this tonight. I loved it and 5yrold asked for thirds. Definitely a keeper. I followed the recipe but halved it because I only needed to serve three, and I served it as a side with grilled fish.

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  7. If I don't roast them I mix them with different vegetables like bell peppers with a little olive oil or butter.

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  8. These look delicious!! I love cauliflower and don't use it enough because I don't have good recipes. Can't wait to try this!! Skye @ www.http://avirtualessence.blogspot.com/

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