Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs and Italian Cheese

Recently, the trend has been to hide cauliflower and pretend it's something else when we serve it.  For goodness, sake!  Why do that?  Cauliflower, when cooked properly and seasoned well, can reign as Queen of the vegetables.

 I'm of the school that likes vegetables with a little "al dente" to them.  I feel that the crisp texture allows the natural sweetness to come through. Roasting the cauliflower keeps it crisp and tender..... just the way I know you'll love it!

I think that mushy, over cooked vegetables lose their flavor, can become bitter......but that's for another post.

Right now, let's just concentrate on the star of the day........Cauliflower.

Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs and Cheese

 

 

2 large heads cauliflower OR frozen and thawed cauliflower florets (about 2 ½ pounds)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Milanese Gremolata olive oil
1 tablespoon Joe and Son’s Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
2 TBS dried or fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a sealed container, combine 1/4 cup of the  olive oil and balsamic vinegar and shake vigorously to create an emulsion.

Using a sharp knife, trim the cauliflowers into smaller florets. Discard the stem and core.  Place the florets in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and balsamic mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Place the cauliflower pieces on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through the roasting time. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs. Stir to coat thoroughly in the olive oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden.

Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook and scorch the bread crumbs and burn the garlic.

Arrange the cauliflower pieces on a serving platter.

Top with the bread crumbs and Romano cheese. Garnish with the parsley
and serve immediately.

Serves 6.