Glazed Cauliflower
I suspect I've lost a lot of you already. Why is cauliflower one of the most hated vegetables? Only Brussels sprouts seem to some in for more bad-mouthing.
Yet cauliflower is not only tasty, it's so darn good for you, packed with fiber, laced with B vitamins--and a veritable warehouse of vitamin C: one 100 gram/3.5 ounce serving has 77% of your suggested daily intake.
Maybe I can change that. Maybe I can get everyone eating their cauliflower. Maybe I can flap my arms and fly to the moon.
Well, maybe. Especially when the florets are to be glazed, herbaceous, and gorgeously aromatic. Like in this recipe.
First, cut a medium head of cauliflower into 1-inch florets. You'll have to work down into the head with a paring knife, talking off bunch after bunch at the stem, slicing the larger ones in more manageable bits.
Next, mix the following in a medium bowl: 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon mild paprika, and about 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir until the honey dissolves, then stir in 1 medium yellow onion, diced. And I don't mean chopped. Diced. Little pieces, not as Lilliputian as a mince, but close. Set this aside.
And one more prep step: mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice (that's approximately the juice from half a medium lemon), 2 tablespoons minced cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest in a small bowl.
OK, now the prep's done and you're ready to cook. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Very large. As big as you've got. Because once the oil is waggly with heat, add the florets in an even layer, spreading them out across the skillet.
Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt--and leave them alone. Seriously. For 4 minutes. I mean, we're browning these babies. Or more than that. Almost blackening them. Step away from the skillet and let them be.
Turn them all (tongs are best) and continue browning them on the other side, about 3 minutes. Again, leave them alone. No cheating--other than to tip the skillet a couple times to make sure any oil remaining slides all over the hot surface.
Drop the heat to medium and stir them up. Continue stirring for about 4 minutes, browning them on all sides. I used a flat, heat-safe, silicone spatula so I didn't run the risk of breaking the florets into bits. They're a little fragile at this point.
Add the onion/honey/spice mixture. It'll roil like mad. Stir like mad to compensate. Then keep stirring--gently, of course--until the florets are glazed and almost all the moisture has gone from the skillet, about 3 minutes. The water will vaporize almost instantly, getting that browned flavor off the skillet's hot surface, but the onion will continue to release moisture as it cooks. Stir, stir, stir.
You're done when the florets are glazed and crisp-tender. Pour them into a bowl--then pour in the lemon juice mixture. Stir to coat--and serve while hot.
Listen, if this won't get you eating cauliflower, nothing will.
cauliflower, glazed, side dish, vegetables 
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Reader Comments (4)
I made this for lunch today and it was very tasty. I subbed lime for the lemon and parsley for the cilantro since that's what I had in the fridge. I thought it was a little too sweet and too sour so next time I'll dial down the honey and the lemon/lime juice. The cauliflower didn't cook through just from the browning, so I covered it after I added the glaze sauce and let it steam for 5 minutes. Other than that, very good! A keeper!
Lisa: Glad you liked it. Perhaps I like cauliflower crunchier than some other people. Not sure. But the lime is definitely more sour than the lemon--so that would indeed shift things a bit. And the sweet? Hmmm. Maybe with the lemon juice and cilantro, it will tone down a bit. But that all said, I'm glad you liked it. And hey, thanks for the comment!
Oh my, this recipe sounds divine. It is going on my "to do" list. I am not a big cauliflower fan, but this recipe looks and sounds delicious. Lots of flavors going on here. And I tend to get into a rut with veggies. It seems I am always eating the same ones. This would be a nice change to my dinner menu. Thanks!!
Kathleen: It is divine. I loved every bite. But do remember that cauliflower is one of those "shelf stable" veggies. In other words, supermarkets think it can sit around a good long while. If yours seems a little dry--and absorbing too much moisture in the pan--add a little more liquid, a little more water.
M.