Rosemary Cauliflower Toast
75 Min

Rosemary Cauliflower Toast

Local cauliflower season is not long, but it is definitely worth a trip to a neighborhood farmer’s market. Cauliflower may have become the darling of brassica powered new-age cuisine but once you bite into a deeply flavorful roasted floret from a head that a local farmer handed you, you will remember it, I promise. And you may never go back to boxed boiled or riced cauliflower. A couple of weeks ago, Eli at the Sustainable Vegetable Garden pulled out a few beautiful heads from his first harvest. With purple tinges on the stems and floret heads and emerald-green leaves, these are not white and puffy like the grocery store variety. And Eli will tell you, he adds no chemicals or fertilizers to the soil, just sunshine and a great deal of love. Locally bought cauliflower will often come with its jacket or leaves – don’t discard those as they are filled with fiber and flavor. Add them to the cauliflower or separately braise them and add to stews, rice pilaf or scrambled eggs.  

Oven roasting a head of cauliflower is the easiest and the best way to cook it given that braising it often causes it to steam and/or break into smaller pieces. Rosemary adds an aromatic touch and a side of luxurious creamy cream cheese with a shot of blueberries to smear on a toast can make for a surprisingly simple and delicious bite. The cauliflower can be enjoyed warm, cold or at room temperature, which is how I prefer it. 

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Cook Time

75 Minutes

Serves

4

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12 X 6 baking pan generously with olive oil. Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and leave it out for about an hour or until it is soft.
Step 2
Cut the cauliflower into 2-to-3-inch large florets. Discard only a small portion of the bottom – the rest of the stems and leaves are all edible. Peel and slice the onion into thick slices.
Step 3
In a large bowl, combine the cut cauliflower and onions with olive oil, black pepper, coriander seeds, rosemary, and salt. Spread on the greased baking pan into an even layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 300°F and cook for another 15 minutes or until the cauliflower appears done and the onions have a golden-brown tinge.
Step 4
In a medium sized bowl, combine the cream cheese with cumin, herbs, blueberries, lemon, and salt. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to smash the blueberries with the cheese. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Step 5
Warm the toast on both sides and serve smeared with the cream cheese and topped with the roasted cauliflower. Tuck in a few sprigs of mint.

1 large head of cauliflower

1 small red onion

3 to 5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons crushed coriander seeds

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt


8 ounces cream cheese 

1 cup blueberries

1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin

2 to 3 tablespoons of finely chopped mint

1 cup of blueberries

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

1 teaspoon sea salt


6 slices of sourdough toast

Few sprigs of herbs like mint

Notes & Variations

  • Substitute mint for cilantro, parsley, or basil but the aroma of mint is remarkably delicious.
  • You could also make sandwiches with the cream cheese and cauliflower – embellish by adding a few crisp lettuce leaves.
  • To crush coriander seeds, use a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle. If you only have ground coriander, use it instead.
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75 Min

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