What's Good, Son? Roasted Vegetables!!

The way to describe how my brain works is that it's a five-lane highway, with each lane running on its own internal monologue. Lane one is generally the one I'm talking about, but there are four other things driving between 65 and 90+ at any given moment. When I wake up in the morning or when I get off from work, each of these lanes is competing at stellar speeds like it's battling for the last spot in NASCAR. I consider it cognitive multitasking, but it can be exhausting. Cooking is one of the only ways to keep them all under control. Waiting patiently beside the oven is like a spiritual discipline.

"There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good." - Ecc. 2:24.

I agree.

January marks the one-year anniversary that food changed my life.

I grew up on steamed cauliflower. Not bad, not great. I'd consider it a lukewarm affection. But, oh, the joy in first tasting roasted cauliflower! You would think it's an entirely different species - the refreshing salt, the soft olive oil, the crispy outside and the dreamy inside. I saw food differently from there on out because it always existed on one of my five lanes.

During my epiphany, I also learned that each vegetable has its own distinct ways of being cooked. For example, string beans are great steamed, but brussel sprouts taste like a disaster when they're steamed. To put it into a life lesson: you've gotta think a bit before you pull out the pan. Otherwise, you'll regret your rash and lazy decision.

Here is the recipe for roasted cauliflower from Cook's Illustrated, January-February 2007. Feel free to change the vegetables. I like throwing in brussel sprouts (see picture above) - just cut off the bottom, take off any tough/rogue leaves and cut right down the middle - or broccoli or carrots. I end up cooking about 1/3 of the cauliflower head at a time for 2 people, but I always want more.

Roasted Cauliflower!!!!
serves 4-6

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt (I like my salt grinder the best)

*If I've given you this recipe before, it's probably a little on the vague side ("a little of this, a little of that...") so go by this before you have it roughly memorized like me.

1. Turn on the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Trim outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut stem flush with the bottom. Cut head into 8 equal wedges so that core and florets remain intact. They should each be about the length of a no. 2 pencil.
**If you are making less and don't have much time, just cut out individual florets and reduce the baking time about 4-6 minutes on each step.
3. Place wedges cut side down on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (or large casserole dish). Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt; gently rub to evenly distribute oil. Gently flip cauliflower and season other cut side with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and salt.
4. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to roast until bottoms of cauliflower pieces are golden, 8 to 12 minutes.
6. Remove sheet from oven, and, using spatula or fork, carefully flip wedges. Return to the oven and continue to roast until cauliflower is golden all over, 8 to 12 minutes.
7. Serve immediately.