Colorful Roast Cauliflower to Beat the Winter Blues

Every week, we spotlight a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Julia Gartland of Sassy Kitchen presents a colorful roast cauliflower dish sure to brighten up any kitchen.

Photo: Julia Gartland

By Julia Gartland of Sassy Kitchen

This is my new favorite winter recipe. It adds a little brightness to an otherwise cold and dreary season. If you can find some colored cauliflower, all the better!

Roasted Cauliflower With Marjoram, Pine Nuts, Golden Raisins, and Lemon
Serves 4

2.5 pounds cauliflower, de-stemmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden raisins
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F. Add cauliflower to a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, marjoram, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned and tender. Add to serving bowl and set aside.

Add butter to a cast-iron or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the zest of one lemon. Sauté until zest is fragrant, then add garlic and leeks. Stir often over low heat until leeks are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add golden raisins until warm, then remove mixture and add to serving bowl.

Using the same pan, turn the heat up to medium and add pine nuts. Stir often for about 1 to 2 minutes or until pine nuts are browned and toasted. Remove from heat and add to serving bowl. Toss everything together with the juice of one lemon. Top with chopped parsley and season to taste. Serve immediately!

More hearty veggie side dishes:

Miso-Roasted Eggplant from ‘The New Easy’

Honey and Curry-Roasted Acorn Squash

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Broccoli from ‘Eating Purely’