Roasted Cauliflower & Tarragon

Time for another fall recipe using a cheap, plentiful, seasonal ingredient.

This recipe is much simpler than brussel sprouts with pancetta. In fact, it's so cheap, easy and ridiculously healthy you should probably stop reading and start the oven. Put it on 375.

Cauliflower is from the same vegetable group as brussel sprouts, so if you hate them you probably have something against it, too. I say give it a chance. When cauliflower is roasted it looses much of its cabbage-y aroma. Plus, at three bucks a head it's not a risky investment. If you don't like it you can make delicious compost.

Fresh tarragon is a fragile, thin-leafed herb. Its flavor is slightly minty, with a hint of anise. When you have a huge amount of the bunch left over from this recipe, you can use with other roasted vegetables, green, salads, with fish or chicken.

~ Roasted Cauliflower & Tarragon ~

RECIPE

Cut a whole head of cauliflower into florets. Turn the head upside down and chop off any green leaf stems. Then hold the stem in your hand while inserting the knife inside to sever the florets at the stem. Try to keep most of them the same size — on the larger side.

Put them in a big heavy skillet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. The skillet should be big enough to hold all the florets without them stacking on top of each other. Roast with the lid off in the 375 degree oven for about thirty minutes. Turn with tongs every ten minutes or so. They'll char and get soft. Take a bite to test the texture. If they're too hard for your preference, leave them in longer.

When they're done to your taste take them out of the oven. Pour on some good olive oil (don't skimp). Shake them about. Sprinkle them liberally with Marash Pepper. Take a few stems of tarragon, strip the leaves and scatter them across the cauliflower. Eat while warm.