Roasting toughens cauliflower and dries it out a bit — and because cauliflower is often mushy and watery, these are good things. I like to get it nice and brown, and cooking it with a bit of the dressing deepens its flavor. Toss the remaining sauce with the cauliflower at the last minute, along with the raisins, whose sweetness counters the vinegar beautifully.
Other vegetables you can use: broccoli spears or any root vegetable, cut into cubes and roasted
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, trimmed
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
How to Make It
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the cauliflower in a roasting pan, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with foil.
- Roast until the cauliflower just starts to soften, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting until the cauliflower is golden brown and a thin-bladed knife inserted meets no resistance, another hour or so.
- Meanwhile, put the vinegar and raisins in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the liquid barely bubbles and cook, stirringo ccasionally, until the raisins are plump and the vinegar is syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes.
- When you’re ready to serve, put the cauliflower on a large serving platter, drizzle over the balsamic and raisins and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
- ROASTED CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE AND RAISINS You can also prepare this cutting the cauliflower into thick “steaks,” which will increase the surface area available for developing delicious browning: Cut the cauliflower from top to bottom into ¾- to 1-inch-thick slices. Brush the cut sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Put on a baking sheet and roast, uncovered, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes, turning the steaks once. Finish as directed.
