We all forget to do things occasionally. Things that seem critical will slip out of our minds in the regular course of business and leave us either standing and wondering what we were meant to be doing, or else we continue on as if nothing is missing (because we don’t yet realize our mistake). For me, the forgetting happens more when I’m busy at work as I have been for the past month or so. Add to that the stresses of moving, and we’ve got a perfect storm for the necessary things just slipping my brain on a regular basis. This is where using a to-do list app and a calendar come in handy, but if it’s something small and dumb…it’s probably gone forever.
All that was by way of introducing the fact that I forgot to do the last step in the recipe that follows. It was late March, I’d bought a house days before, and after having made the broccoli-cauliflower flan a few days before, I had a half head of leftover cauliflower and a desire to feed myself something interesting on a Monday night. This recipe had come to me earlier that day, and it was exactly what I needed at the time. Roasted caulflower? Yes! Honey? YES! A little spicy? GOD YES!!! But having run around all day for the past three days, I was not in exactly the right brain space for following directions. When I got to the last step of “returning cauliflower to baking sheet and oven so it can absorb some of the sauce”…I blanked.
I remember wondering at the time why it was so saucy. The dish pictured on the source website looks almost amazing and perfect, like someone had been watching the cauliflower cook so they could pull it out at the exact right time to look its best. Friends – I am not one for watching my food so that it looks good. I was hungry. That step was either skipped from not seeing it…or I was just ready to eat. My cauliflower was not perfect, but that doesn’t mean yours can’t be. It’s all a matter of paying closer attention in our lives, and not skipping steps because we are tired. Things that are deserving ought to be done right. And this recipe…I wish I had done it proper justice. Maybe you can.
Spicy Honey-Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
Yield: 4 side servings; 1 serving as a meal for a hungry lady
Ingredients:
½ head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
4 tablespoons honey (preferably mild-tasting)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon Sriracha (or if you are me and have run out – chili powder and red pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons cold water
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Spread cauliflower florets in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cauliflower start to caramelize, turning once.
In the meantime in a small saucepan combine honey, garlic, onion powder, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Bring to a simmer over low heat stirring constantly.
Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl until completely dissolved.
Stir in the sauce and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. If it’s too thick, thin it out by adding more water, one tablespoon at a time.
When the cauliflower is done, transfer to a large bowl and pour the sauce over it. Toss the cauliflower in the sauce to coat.
Return to the baking sheet and roast for an additional minute, so that the cauliflower can absorb some of the sauce.
Serve warm!
From: adapted from “Spicy Honey-Garlic Roasted Cauliflower” from The Iron You