Winter has made it’s way to the California beach. It’s rainy and cold and I’ve come to realize that I’m nearly insufferable when it comes to weather that isn’t sunshine and warmth.
I know I’m being a brat. Please don’t school me with your actual weather dramas. I know… 20 miles in the snow… up hill… both ways… being chased by snow wolves or something.
While I shake my fist at the rain and the wind and the puddles and the windshield wipers and yesterday when I slipped and fell on my butt outside of Whole Foods… I have really come to embrace on thing: the darkness.
There’s a certain amount of comfort in this silver grey… and the way it transforms into a deep but bright black. I even sleep with the curtains open now… so I can wake up in the middle of the night and see the dark outside. Yes… I’m letting you in on my weird.
The darkness makes me want to roast things.
No… it’s more of a compulsion. I need to roast things.
I roasted this cauliflower in the style of Smitten Kitchen.
I also roasted mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower again and carrots. I can’t stop myself.
I guess… if I can’t ride my bike then I have to roast.
The winter weather has also lead me to eat so… soooo much of this ice cream. It’s not something I’m ready to talk about.
Ps. Molly (a darling reader… hi Molly!) typed joythebaker into Wordle.net to and figured out which words are most often used on this here webpage. The bigger the word, the more often it appears on this site.
Butter. I’m really into butter.
Butter Roasted Cauliflower
from smittenkitchen and gourmet
serves one (if you’re me) or two
1 1/2 pound cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. In a roasting dish, toss together cauliflower with capers, garlic, oil and about 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top with butter cubes and red pepper flakes. Roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and delicious, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and toss hot cauliflower with lemon and fresh parsley. Enjoy immediately with crusty bread to sop up the butter juices. Seriously.
Jill
I love that word mosaic!
veggiepotluck
yum – roasting cauliflower is such a revelation! i made a very similar salad the other week – so tasty, could convert any cauli haters… thanks for sharing!
sue
Just had this for dinner, it was wonderful. Thanks so much.
Alexandra
Joy, I think you should know that I have made this at least once a week since you posted this amazing idea. The amount of the ingredients shifts and varies, and not always do I have fresh parsley on hand – but I love love love love the mix of baked cauliflower with the tangy capers and lemon and a splash of red pepper. oh. my. gosh. Thank you for bringing cauliflower into my life in such an amazing way!
xxxx
joythebaker
heck yes!
Crystal - The Best of Thymes
Yum! I just made a similar recipe this week. I roasted the cauliflower in olive oil and salt and then made a vinaigrette with ingredients similar to those you used and tossed the roasted cauliflower in the dressing. It was fantastic! I’ll have to try it your way, too!
sheila wilkerson
I make this at least once a week (minus capers). I made roasted cauliflower the other day and ate most of it by myself. My 7 year old asked me if there was any left. When I said no, her reply was “awww!” This is a great way to get kids to eat veggies! I like to sprinkle fresh parmesan (did I spell that right) over the cauliflower when it comes out of the oven.
Lisa {With Style and Grace}
I made this dish on Christmas Eve and it was a hit! I’ll certainly be making this again. Thank you and hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Angela
“uphill…both ways” Haha!! Laughed at that for a long time!
Anne
I know! We’re spoiled with good weather down here in California. But I love the rain and the cool darkness. It’s a good change. Rainy weather compels me to cook and bake and snuggle up with a book and with my kitty-cat – something that you just don’t get with sunny months on end.
But…when it comes to driving through surging urban street rivers (above my tires), I’ll take the sun any day! Sorry to hear about slipping in front of Whole Foods. Ew, not fun.
Erin
Hi. I’m a new reader (as of a few weeks ago) and I love your blog. It’s super sweet! :-) This looks so yummy! I wish my husband and child would eat it. I roast carrots, mostly, because it’s the one roasted veggie my family will eat! But cauliflower. Yum!
Kelli
Joy, just letting you know that your blog puts a smile on my face everytime I read it. I love the darkness too. Better to embrace it than hate it, right? and butter is totally the thing to be in to :)
Whir
HA, snow wolves!
What’s really bad are the snow snakes. I won’t complain because I don’t like to talk about it.
Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer
I have a newly found love for roasted cauliflower too! It is really good.
When Pigs Fly
I won’t go on about how I live in Minnesota and it sucks. It popped up to 28 degrees yesterday and I thought I was going to dance around naked in the snow out of sheer relief to get a break from the really cold. This is when I miss living in California even with the rain.
By the way, I’ve made your Ginger Persimmon Bread like ten times so far this month as gifts. Love it!!!
Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer
Here here! I am in MN too and this snow is awesome! But messy :)
Amy W
Wisconsin girl! I LOVE it! I walked outside this morning into the 32 degree weather and wanted to take my jacket off. Though I think you guys have about 20x more snow than we do right now!
Zo @ Two Spoons
Roasted cauliflower is so underrated…but with BUTTER?! Ohmygod. You know this is also ridiculously delicious with freshly ground cumin, right?
<3
Merry Christmas :)
EmSue
I roast lots of veggies. A little oil and garlic makes most any root vegetable a pleasure to eat. And things like cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus . . . oh my goodness!!!!
Jennifer
Ooohhh! You’ve made me want to roast veggies. Darn Christmas holidays and not being at home. ;) You can bet I’ll be doing this when I return home in the new year!
Love the wordle too. Although I’m kind of surprised that ‘bacon’ didn’t make an appearance.
Jennie @ Oh, Sweet Day!
Love the wordle!! :) I always roast my cauliflower and am changing up the spices on it. This combo sounds SO good!
Anne-Marie
Snow wolves!! That cracked me up. I think you’ve invented a new species!
rachel h.
um. i fully support this.
and the darkness thing, its cool. there’s something really spooky and romantic when LA is gloomy.
and, yeah, y’know, my name is in your word bubble.
no biggie.
Lisanne
Okay. I MUST ask. What is the magic of capers?? I see them in so many recipes… but they look weird, smell weird and by themselves taste weird. Yes, I am one of those people that will sample ingredients that were never, ever, ever meant to be eaten as anything other than an ingredient. Mostly because I just gotta know why it’s not meant to be eaten alone. Totally logical. So please, anyone who is in the know about capers let me know why this is a magical ingredient and why I simply must own some! I thank you in advance.
Silvia
Well, if they are salted they should be washed thouroughly (at least 30 minutes), if they are in vinegar it is not strictly necessary but you can do it if you do not like the taste. Then you chop them with olives and tuna and you use them on a cold pasta salad, I use spaghetti, with lemon juice and olive oil. It is so quick and tasty and you can prepare everything while the spaghetti boil. I know it is not the proper thing to do but I quickly rinse in cold water the spaghetti, shake them well (there should be no water left) and then mix them with the sauce.
have fun!
Sasha @ Global Table Adventure
You could eat them alone, why not? I’d say that is no different from someone just snacking on pickles.. not good for you (lots of sodium).. but tasty.
Cindy
They are most often found in Mediterranean foods. My family is Greek so I always grew up with them.
I use them as an ingredient and I could eat them regularly. I add them to salads all the time. They are a great way to sneak in some added salty flavor.
Allyson
Doing a little Christmas baking of my new holiday favorite cookie.
It is the Chocolate Brownie Cookie that I found on your blog.
Instead of using the chocolate chips, I stir in 8 oz. of the Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips.
I top them with the chocolate covered sun flower seeds that are red, green, white.
They are super delicious !! Thanks so much for the Brownie Cookie recipe – I made
those this fall several times and they were a big hit :)
Timer just went off – gotta go – Happy Holidays
Gen
You know what I thought what I saw your great recipe? Hey a nice salty dish! And hey! You definitely ARE into butter! ^^
tsmom
My nanny brought this recipe to me from her gourmet magazine and while it looks (from the ingredients) like it would be a bit bland it is down right delicious and so easy even I can make it!! I agree with you this weather is for the birds!
pam
oh you clever girl! i saw sk’s recipe and drooled over it, but as i have an allergy to mushrooms (severe migraines, oh the injustice!) i didn’t give it much attention. but cauliflower….now we’re talking. looks fabulous!
Vanessa
mmm.
Califlower is now on my list for Christmas dinner grocery shopping.
yum
Rachel
Dark, gray weather makes me want to roast things too! Cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and winter squash are probably my favorite things to roast. This sounds like a good addition to my Christmas dinner table!
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels
It makes me so happy to see that you’re a huge butter lover, it makes me like you even more! I swear butter runs through my veins!
I LOVE cauliflower and especially love it roasted. But your recipe sounds incredible, the addition of the lemon juice and parsley at the end is a great touch!
SharI
Hey! I made the mushrooms from smitten a few days ago and fell in love. And now brilliant you has given me another reason to fall in love with all roasted vegetables. Genius.
Melissa
Haven’t seen this question, so I’ll ask it…..Cauliflower is known for making one full of gas. Pass the Beano bottle around the table? I can just see that….
joythebaker
hmm…. i dunno about the gas. i didn’t seem to have an issue. gross.
Alison
Ooh Joy this looks so tasty! I LOVE cauliflower and will definitely try after I return from cold, snowy Chicago for Christmas. Hope the weather in Cali gets better – it won’t stop raining in Seattle either… go figure.
Happy Holidays, Joy!
jenny b
Holy Smokes! I never should have hit the ice cream link. Why would I eat cauliflower if I can have that ice cream?
laura @ alittlebarefoot
butter is a beautiful thing. and i’m in LA too with this crazy rain. i kind of like it; it makes it actually feel like winter. happy holidays, joy!
Katrina
This looks like such a yummy side! Awesome recipe.
Deb in Indiana
Roasted cauliflower is very tasty. Also, roasted asparagus (because I fondly imagine that you folks in California can get any vegetable you want, at any time of year, unlike those of us who live with the snow wolves).
And Joy, I think one of the things that makes your blog such a joy for me is your confident use of language — “don’t school me”, a little old-fashioned and stodgy, is perfect with the cliche of walking thought the snow uphill both ways, and “snow wolves” is an unexpected twist.
Right now, it’s snowing heavily here, and I am planning to roast acorn squash for supper. Because I have it, and am staying home, today.
holly (theupperoven)
I am in San Diego and cannot take this weather. Neither can my dog. She winces when the rain hits her. Glad to see your man is enjoying the weather, puddles and all. I will try roasting things to get out of my bad weather funk. Sounds promising.
HappyWhenNotHungry
I love cauliflower and this looks amazing! Thanks for sharing
Ernestine
I have to admit I have never eaten cauliflower. I have no idea what it tastes like. I’ll have to give this a shot. BTW… close your curtains at night please.
Heather (Heather's Dish)
oh joy, you had me at butter-roasted :)
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic
I have a compulsion to roast things too during the winter. This recipe looks fantastic (but then again, what recipe with the word butter doesn’t??) Thanks for sharing, this is going into my rotation soon!
Jessi
Cold rainy weather is sooo romantic!! Even on busy days. Come on, you’re rebellious, start loving what everyone else gets grumpy about, it’s kinda fun! Dance, jump in puddles, get wet and cold, then race home and take a super hot shower… it’s really better than you think, this cold grey weather! And thanks for sharing the roasted cauliflower recipe, sounds fantastic!
Jillian
I’m kinda surprised “bacon” isn’t larger on your collage. (is it even on there?) That would be the big one for me!
Jenné @ Sweet Potato Soul
Yummy Yummy! I love Cauliflower : )
Kylie @ A Hungry Spoon
If you lived in WV this time of year, you’d probably be roasting things on a daily basis :)
Your recipe looks delicious! I love roasted cauliflower with a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese~
the parsley thief
how could that not taste amazing!? yum. i love the photo…the colors are gorgeous!
i love the word collage too!
Lauren at KeepItSweet
the weather has a massive effect on what i want to eat – rain and clouds always leads to comfort food and chocolate. as soon as it looks like snow i need to make cookies
Thelma
Hi Joy! You are so right in there being a weird comfort in a grey sky. Maybe because it justifies all kinds of bold foods. And butter roasted cauliflower? You are a genious. Nothing less.
That wordle thing is so cool- Im off to wordle my own page now! xx
Silvia
It’s raining here too, perfect weather for baking, it changes one’s mood I think, then one has to give all the goodies away and all one’s friends are delighted… Except for my family: I spoiled them so much that now they actually complain when there’s nothing new.
Merry Xmas to everybody!
notyet100
can imagine how this must have been
Justeen @ Blissful Baking
mmm this sounds cauliflower sounds delish! i always eat cauliflower raw, mainly because i have don’t know how to cook it, but now i have this fabulous buttery recipe yayyy
Wei-Wei
The word collage is FABULOUS!
Julie Anne Rhodes
I was about to commend you for eating so healthy in this miserable weather (NOT what I have been doing), then saw that outrageously yummy looking ice cream. Now I know your secret to staying so thin while baking all the goodies you make – you live on vegetables the rest of the time.
Verelle
Amidst all the Christmas cookies, these veggies sound lovely!
Felicia L.
I know whats with this weather in los angeles! its been 5 days of pure rain!! perfect for baking though! Do the brussels sprouts really taste good in the recipe? Because I often steer clear of those suckas from the horror stories my siblings told me.
Amy @ Serve At Once
So I’m usually not the cauliflower-lovin’ type…but this?
I would eat this, Joy. I would do it for you because I like you.
And because it looks GOOD!
Lena
Just arrived here in Los Angeles to visit my grandparents, and their having the biggest rain storm they’ve had in 10 years. WTF!? This food looks good. I might just have to make this. And impress some people. Not kidding on that last part. I am dying for some of that ice cream. I knew i should have asked for a ice cream maker for Christmas! Darn.
–Lena
Celina
Amen about the rain! It needs to stop because I have run out of things I can afford pay to have repaired once it is over! I feel like I still can’t complain though, because at least the whole thing isn’t at risk of coming down in a mudslide. My one comfort is the holiday baking to take my mind off it.
Kocinera
I’m with you. There’s something about the cold, dreary weather that makes me go straight for the root veggies and a roasting pan. I’ve never really given cauliflower a chance before, but your take on it sure looks mighty yummy.
Lindsey
Snow wolves… this makes me laugh. :)
Elizabeth
mmm… thanks. a great variation on one of my old standbys. I love to add chunks of FENNEL to this!
marianne
just like eggs, butter has had “bad press” for years. the new thought is that eggs are not the sinister little orbs that once was thought. so, too, is butter. i am of the opinion that a moderate amount of real butter is beneficial & far more healthful than artificially produced “liquid plastic” [aka: margarine].
cauliflower is one of god’s gifts to mankind….so is butter! god bless all of you posters & the best to our joy! merry christmas….marianne
Sanjeeta kk
This is my kindda recipe. Love the simplicity and easy cooking.
Sarah
yummy. I’m sorry your weather is on the downside. Come visit the desert southwest – we are clear and dry and in the 70’s and I’d be happy to make you a cocktail with bourbon! Merry Christmas Joy – you give me joy with every post!
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
I love to roast too. In fact, I roasted a whole dinner tonight. I can’t help myself during the gray season (ie. winter) that started in November and won’t end until late Spring. I love roasted cauliflower (and raw, and sauteed and fried!). This recipe looks really good. Hope it stops raining in CA soon or maybe now.
Bailey
Oh this sure looks divine… I love cauliflower… this is a must, I am totally bookmarking this recipe.
SOUL + FOOD
uuummmm…so I just realized that I’ve never had cauliflower…I’m kinda feeling like a loser…I will be trying out this recipe to make myself feel better though
kitchenroach
nice blog and lovely dish!
Steph
It’s not suppose to rain this much in LA. seriously.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I need more veggies in my life.
DessertForTwo
I’m a total whore for cauliflower. I love it roasted! I roast mine with black mustard seeds and turmeric, then toss it with lemon juice and cilantro when it comes out of the oven. It’s heavenly. I can’t wait to try your version!
Hannah at BakeFive
the world can’t do without butter.
butter is EVERYTHING. haha. too bad i hate cauliflower even if there’s butter on it :(
ting
joy–i think you forgot the “barefoot” part of going uphill both ways in the snow. that’s vital.
joythebaker
totally right.
Amanda (Eating Up)
I love that wordle.net cloud! And I really love that butter is big!
Amy
I think cauliflower should only be eaten with either a whole heap of butter, or cheese.
ps. your website and smittenkitchen are my two favourite websites to go to! Third is bakerella. I love butter too…yum :)
joythebaker
high five!!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Could you do it? Could you MAYBE get me to eat veggies?
Half Assed Kitchen
For good reason. Butter is the best thing on Earth.
Sarah Chiat
I am sitting in the middle of an airport right now and I am looking up recipes to pass the time! This looks amazing and I can’t wait till I get to a kitchen to make this! By the way, I love your blog <3 You are an inspiration!
joythebaker
get where you’re going safe and sound and happy holiday!!
Sarah Chiat
Well thank you! I am going to see my Husband who is in the Navy! Happy Holidays to you too!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat)
I love that word collage! I hope the weather clears up soon. All I hear from the Californians is rain rain rain! Perhaps it’ll turn into snow in time for Christmas….? Maybe?