Middle Eastern Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower get a Middle Eastern twist on the grill in our Middle Eastern Roasted Cauliflower.  Mild cauliflower florets are grilled in a cast-iron skillet, then combined with Middle Eastern seasonings to create a very tasty, very attractive side dish at your table.  Middle Eastern Roasted Cauliflower is great with grilled meats, like our Fast and Fabulous Pork Chops  or Savory Grilled Pork Roast; it can also stand on its own as a vegetarian main dish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour.  Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 large Cauliflower, about 4 cups of florets
• 3 Tbs Cooking Oil, Olive/Canola Oil blend is recommended
• 1 or 2 Tbs Water
• ½ tsp coarse Sea Salt
• ½ tsp ground Black Pepper
• ½ tsp dried Thyme leaves
• ½ tsp ground Cumin
• ¼ tsp ground Cardamom*
• ½ tsp ground Cloves
• 2 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 tsp crushed Ginger*
• 1 cup diced very ripe Roma Tomatoes
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

1. Trim the leaves and base from the cauliflower and cut into tablespoon size florets.
2. Heat the grill to medium high. Pour the cooking oil in the skillet and place it on the grill.
3. Add the cauliflower to the skillet and roast with the grill covered for 15 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two of water and stirring occasionally to roast the cauliflower on all sides.
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, dice the Roma Tomatoes and add to a deep mixing bowl.
5. Add the sea salt, black pepper, thyme leaves, cumin, cardamom, cloves, garlic, ginger and extra virgin olive oil to the tomatoes and stir to mix.
6. When the cauliflower is lightly browned and at an al dente consistency, remove from the grill and spoon into the bowl with the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir to mix thoroughly and set aside for at least 5 minutes prior to serving.

*Notes:

• Ground cardamom and crushed ginger can be purchased at Middle Eastern and Indian supermarkets and on-line.