Roasted Cauliflower

I (Cris, Mom, Mama Cavie) really enjoy cooking, probably because I love to eat so much. When Steve and I got married he knew how to cook more than I did. He had lived on his own for awhile and had even been an assistant cook in a boys home at one time. I figured if I was going to be home and have to cook, I might as well try to enjoy it. Since I did not learn to cook growing up, I was determined that our kids would learn to cook a little, which is always a useful skill. Our local library is treasure trove of cookbooks. Just about any cookbook you want can be reserved through our library system. I read cookbooks like most people read fiction.

Another of my favorite things is watching cooking shows. America's Test Kitchen (Cook's Illustrated), Everyday food, Martha Stewart, etc.. Every time we stay in a motel I hope they have the Food Network and HGTV since we don't have cable. The last few motels we have stayed in have had 3 ESPN channels and NO food network (I think Steve secretly plans this). Cooking shows are a great way to learn to cook. You can't learn knife skills from a cookbook but you can from a cooking show.

My third favorite learning spot is now the internet. The Food Network does have a free website, with short videos to watch. My most recent discovery has been food blogs. A lot of them are very gourmet; I would never cook most of the things they talk about or be able to afford to cook them , but I find it fascinating. There are even awards for the best food blogs. I read the other day about a guy(Habeas Brulee) who wanted to learn to make chocolate truffles from scratch. I'm talking scratch here. He said he got Venezuelan Ocumare cocoa nibs, roasted them, chopped them in his coffee grinder, and made ONE truffle. These folks are nuts, but I really enjoy reading about them and Food Blog Photography is an added bonus.

As I’m learning, I tend to concentrate on the main dish much more than the side or sides. After the work of doing a main course another recipe is a bit too much for me for a regular weekday dinner. But recently I had a lot of leftover cauliflower from a veggie tray and needed to cook it. I love fresh cauliflower with dip but have never been a fan of steamed cauliflower. So I tried this recipe, and it was delicious. I know it calls for capers, which are a little expensive, but they will last a long time. They give recipes a great little punch. They are kinda like a cross between a pickle and an olive. This was an Everyday Food recipe by the way.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower (about 2 lbs.)
1 T. olive oil
Course salt and pepper
1 T. butter
2 garlic thinly sliced
1 t. capers (I use more!)
1 t. caper juice
red pepper flakes (a t-tiny sprinkle)

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees;. Trim, and cut cauliflower into small florets; spread in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Toss to combine. Roast, tossing once or twice, until cauliflower is golden brown and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook garlic cloves, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add capers and caper juice. Pour over cauliflower, and toss to coat.