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Roasted Cauliflower With Lemon Zest, Parsley, Capers, and Jalapeño

By Athena Calderone

4.8

(27)

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest Parsley Capers and Jalapeño
Photo by Johnny Miller

Roasted cauliflower has a nutty, sweet flavor that’s hard to resist. My son has eaten it two or three times a week since he was three years old—that’s a lot of cauliflower! To avoid a rut, I’ve added various flavors over the years, brightening the dish and spicing things up. The truth is, Jivan prefers the tried-and-true classic: EVOO, sea salt, and pepper. But for the grown-ups in my life, I’ve come up with this parsley, lemon zest, caper, and jalapeño combo. Just toss it with the cauliflower when it comes out of the oven—and don’t forget to put some plain florets aside for the little ones.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, quartered, cored, and cut into bite-size florets
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 lemon
1 large handful fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup/25 g), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt, for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the cauliflower, tossing the florets halfway through, until they are deep golden and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes total.

    Step 2

    While the cauliflower is roasting, use a vegetable peeler to peel 3 strips of zest from the lemon. Cut each strip crosswise into very thin slices. Cut the lemon in half, reserving one half and storing the other for another use.

    Step 3

    Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving bowl. Top it with the parsley, capers, jalapeño, and sliced lemon zest. Squeeze the mixture with the lemon half and drizzle it with more oil. Toss to coat all of the ingredients, and sprinkle with a pinch or two of the flaky salt.

Image may contain: Animal, Seafood, Food, Lobster, Sea Life, Plant, Vegetable, Produce, Dish, and Meal
From Cook Beautiful by Athena Calderone, published by ABRAMS © 2017. Buy the full book from Amazon.
TagsCauliflowerVegetableSideLunchDinnerVegetarianVeganKetoNut FreeGluten FreeDairy FreeRoastCookbooks

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