I simply cannot help it. I’m about to share yet another recipe for cauliflower-in-disguise. But, believe me, this one will change your life. Have I ever promised to change your life with a recipe? No. So trust me, because I never lie. Cross my heart, etc etc. The whole thing starts as 99% of the cauli-rice recipes do: process the florets into bits. But then, the twist: instead of boiling or simmering it, you will roast the riced cauliflower. Yes, straight into the oven with a delicate coating of coconut oil. And here I am, salivating just by the thought of how great this recipe turns out. Every. Single. Time Perfection, my friends. Perfection. I am so in love with cauliflower that Phil could be a bit jealous of it.
BAKED CAULI-RICE WITH ASPARAGUS AND ALMONDS
(adapted from The Clothes Make the Girl)
1 head of cauliflower, any color you like
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
3/4 teaspoon of salt
ground black pepper to taste
sautéed asparagus
toasted slivered almonds
You will basically process the cauliflower into bits, then roast it with the coconut oil in a 425 F oven. For all the details of the recipe, click here.
Meanwhile, prepare your asparagus using any favorite recipe and mixture of spices. Toast some almonds lightly seasoned with salt. When the cauli-rice is baked, transfer it to a serving bowl, top with the asparagus and almonds, and serve right away.
ENJOY!
Comments: The difference this method makes in the final product is hard to imagine. The cauli-rice gets all loose and with the exact amount of moisture, not soupy and lifeless. The coconut oil will be barely noticeable. I suspect that even if you don’t care for its taste in this preparation you won’t object. Perfect marriage.
You can take this dish into so many different directions: make it Mexican with the right mixture of spices, add a nice home-made salsa on top. Make it Indian with a curry blend, make it Italian, Brazilian, Korean, it is truly a superb blank canvas to work on.
I’ve made it several times so far, and also used a yellow-orange cauliflower for a show-stopper of a side-dish. I love it. Love it. Period. Here it is, next to a roasted chicken leg made with a marinade that included a certain ginger syrup of my past.
I say goodbye with the firm intention of not blogging on cauliflower for at least a week!. I’ve got will power, I’ll nail this. Although….
ONE YEAR AGO: Zucchini Pasta with Cilantro-Cashew Pesto
TWO YEARS AGO: Bran Muffins, Take Two
THREE YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
FOUR YEARS AGO: Mogo Mojo
FIVE YEARS AGO: Slow-Roasted Chicken Thighs: an Ice-Breaker
Bewitching Kitchen 
I love cauliflower!
I tried the raw cauliflower rice in a salad and had my first cauliflower pizza crust last week and LOVED it!
And now this beauty is on my must try list!I had other plans for lunch but if I can find some cauliflower on my way home I will try this instead 🙂
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What great pleasure to see you here! I have the cauliflower pizza crust on my list to make for about 20 years. HA! Maybe not that long, but close enough…. your endorsement makes it even more enticing…
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Sally, I do not think anyone will be able to stop me either as soon as the first autumn cauliflowers arrive! Cauli-rice has been on the horizon awhile, of course, but you have made it exciting! And since about 70% of my cooking is Asian, methinks curry spices will fight it out with Korean: my new favourite 🙂 ! [And if you get the chance to see the Judy Joo’s series on Korean food, you will just love it I guarantee!!!! How’s that for going off topic?]
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Will try to find that series… I love Korean food, but never made it at home. There was a superb Korean restaurant we used to go to in Los Angeles, cannot remember the name now due to a mixture of old age and early morning.
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I confess … I can count on the fingers of one hand, and still have a couple fingers left over, the times that I’ve eaten cauliflower. Let alone cooked it. The picture with the chicken leg DOES look tasty though. 🙂
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I ADORE cauliflower – don’t care for the smell that much, but hey, camembert also smells bad and tastes terrific, gotta get over some aspects of their personalities, right?
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Camembert smells bad? I did NOT know that. 🙂
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that’s what some say… 😉
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I love cauliflower too!!
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There we go! I’ve got company!
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Couve-flor não é mto meu cup of tea.. Mas seu entusiasmo merece atenção vou tentar at some point. bjs
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Adoro couve-flor, e para desespero do Phil, faco umas duas vezes por semana. He is not wild about it, but is warming up to it. Persistence pays. 😉
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Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
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Thanks for the re-blog…
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OMG you are too funny! Love the last photo! I might actually have to try this. I do like cauliflower after all =)
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You mean try the recipe or try to flirt with a cauliflower? 😉 That one is playing hard to get, so that you know. I might have to teach it a lesson and turn it into pizza crust. HA!
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Great post Sally, and hardly surprising that you are celebrating the good old cauli! It really is an under rated and under loved vegetable.
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It is, the poor thing… and I believe there is no other veggie as versatile as cauliflower. Plus, it is awfully cute, a bit like a baby owl. Odd but cute.
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Well, well, well it looks like you’re becoming my competition in the “All things cauliflower”
I’ll have to keep a close eye on you then….
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You have nothing to worry about, my contributions with the cauliflower world PALE in comparison to yours! Still amazed at your post that got 345 thousand hits! That is soooo impressive (and well-deserved)
but I intend to go on finding nice uses for one of my favorite veggies!
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Don’t generally keep coconut oil in my cupboard but may pick some up just to try this. Looked longingly at the whole chicken leg picture — my local Albertsons has been my source for Sanderson Farms chicken forever — we eat whole chicken legs at least once a week. They have not had them for over a month. Remember your Jamie Oliver Crispy Roasted Chicken Legs served with polenta — one of our all-time favorites.
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Oh, that Jamie Oliver recipe is GOOD! I should re-visit it… thanks for bringing it up, Phil loved it!
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I shall follow these instructions to the letter. I must say though, I’ve never had a conversation with a cauliflower before. The ones I buy just sit there waiting to be murdered. 🙂
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I’ve had some interesting conversations with Mr. Cauli, but not so much with Mr. Broccoli. He is grumpy and prefers to be left alone. Maybe things are different on the other side of our planet… Worth investigating…. 😉
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I LOVE that last photo of you with the cauli. So adorable. Also, you are the cauliflower queen! i need to get on this cauli rice bandwagon.
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Cauliflower Queen? Who, moi? You are too kind….
but glad you enjoyed the post, and I do hope you try this, I have the feeling both you and The Boy will love it!
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I completely understand! I use cauliflower almost daily too 🙂
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Soon we shall be many! Bringing one person at a time to the Cauli-Path, the Enlightened Path!
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Haha, I love this! I make cauli rice all the time but haven’t tried roasting it! Bet the asparagus and almonds are a great combination.
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You should definitely try to roast it, I am sure you will LOVE IT! 😉
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Hahahahahaha! Love this post! And I love cauliflower, so I’ll have to try this!!!
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No….don’t anyone dare stop her, I LOVE these cauliflower recipes!
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Looks delish and healthy for my hubster! Thanks for the recipes!
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You can never have enough cauliflower recipes! Sounds and looks delicious!
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