Smoky Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt
You will also need
Baking sheet or small roasting pan
Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup, if desired. Pull the leaves off of the cauliflower base. Cut off the lower part of the stem.
Cut the head of cauliflower into four quarters.
Slice each quarter into 6-8 pieces. You want as many flat surfaces as possible on each floret-- the flat surfaces caramelize best. Caramelization is the key to giving the roasted cauliflower flavor.
Give all the florets a thorough rinse in a colander. Shake them dry. Spread out the cauliflower on your baking sheet or pan. Reserve any small bits of cauliflower that have fallen away from the florets in a small bowl.
Drizzle the florets evenly with 1 tbsp olive oil. I use a measuring spoon of olive oil, which makes it easier to gauge how much oil I'm using, rather than pouring straight from the bottle. Toss the florets to coat them fully with oil-- I use clean hands for this step.
Sprinkle the cauliflower evenly with smoked paprika and salt to taste. Be generous with the salt-- smoked paprika really sings when it's combined with salt.
Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and let the cauliflower roast for 10 minutes. While cauliflower is cooking, drizzle 1/4 tsp of olive oil into the small bowl of reserved cauliflower bits that have fallen away from the florets and toss to coat. Sprinkle them with smoked paprika and salt. You will add these to the sheet a little later so they won't burn.
After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Sprinkle the reserved cauliflower bits onto the baking sheet.
Return the baking sheet to the oven. Let the cauliflower roast for 10-20 minutes longer till tender. When it's ready you will be able to pierce it easily with a fork. Keep a close eye on the cauliflower, it can go from brown to burned fairly quickly if you're not careful.
Serve hot.