Cauliflower, deconstructed

Ah... cauliflower.

Ever since I discovered the wonder that is roasted cauliflower, I have devoured it every chance I got. Roasting is still my first choice in how to prepare cauliflower, but a new craze of "cauliflower rice" had taken the food interblogs by storm, and I was curious.

One thing though about cauliflower rice is, it's nothing like rice at all. It's completely a misnomer, and it's unfortunate because if you're thinking it's going to be like rice, you'll be disappointed. However, if you are looking for just a variation on preparing cauliflower, then it's amazing.

I had also been looking for ways to reduce the amount of refined carbs I eat, especially pasta, bread, and rice. Rice is hard for me to avoid because I eat so much Asian food, but sometimes this method of preparing cauliflower does help replace some of those yummy yet lethal carbs.

My basic method is to take cauliflower, break it down with a food processor to get what kind of looks like large breadcrumbs or chopped garlic. I can get it to be quite small, but having some larger pieces helps provide a little variety in texture.

Usually I use a whole cauliflower, but I've discovered 2 pound bags of cauliflower florets at Costco. Since I have been eating so much cauliflower, and because it seems like it's really expensive right now, this is a very handy thing to pick up.

I spread the deconstructed cauliflower onto a baking sheet with olive oil and a little salt, and roast in the oven around 400-450 degrees. After about 10-15 minutes, it starts to get brown, and I give it a stir, then continue roasting for another 15 minutes or so, or until it gets a little more browned.

I like to keep this fairly generic and simple, roasting only with a little olive oil and salt, because then I can incorporate into different types of meals, or with other ingredients to become something else altogether (a little foreshadowing...).

I've also made this by sauteing in a pan on the stove, which is just as good. I just find that I can make a larger quantity all at once in the oven.

For the most part, the cauliflower flavor is dominated by whatever you pair it with, making it a great accessory, but ultimately, it's still cauliflower so it's not exactly going to replace the rice in things like sushi. Nonetheless, it's a fun and different way to eat cauliflower when you're looking for a little variety. I particularly like having it with Indian food (this is a curry sauce I also got at Costco, and it's pretty good! I might have to rename this blog, My Costco Adventures...).