Cauliflower with Crunchy Bread Crumbs

I don’t know about you, but I like to know what I’m eating. Cauliflower is so pretty – I want to retain its structure. So while things like Cauliflower Puff are fine (where you steam and mash the cauliflower, mix with beaten eggs, flour/matzoh meal and seasonings and bake), my favorite ways to prepare cauliflower are roasted (see my Indian-Inspired Cauliflower) with all kinds of seasonings or steamed and smothered with crunchy seasoned bread crumbs. This way, I can admire the pretty little florets, one of the many gifts of Nature. (Man, can I get corny.)

This is the way my mom would make cauliflower for special dinners. But it’s so easy you can do it anytime. Actually she did make it often. It goes so well with stewed chicken or brisket. And it also goes very well with non-saucy main dishes like, burgers, meat loaf, baked chicken, lamb chops… okay, enough already. You know what I mean.

So what’s involved? A piece of leftover bread. I usually have a chunk of leftover Challah in the freezer. But not this time… French Toast Sunday took care of that. But I did have a piece of leftover baguette calling me from the freezer. Its cousin was used in last week’s  Tuscan Bread & Tomato Salad (My friend Frank called it my Faux-Tuscan Salad…. ok, Frank, rub it in – we can’t all have just returned from Tuscany).

Send chunks for a spin in a mini-food processor. I use my little one more than the big one, which is in a cabinet somewhere and requires the act of hauling. I try to avoid hauling.

mini-processors are so civilized

Now, stay with me. It gets very complicated.  Here we go. Grab a saute pan. Heat up some olive oil. Throw in the bread crumbs. Add some minced garlic. If you don’t want to, then split a clove in half and throw it in. Season generously with salt and pepper.

If you want color, add paprika. Toss in your steamed (if boiled in a little water, then drained) cauliflower and toss to coat well with bread crumbs. Heat through. Done. Or as my friend says, “Done done done.”

With Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year) approaching, we can use some simple dishes that can be prepared in advance and quickly heated through in the oven. The microwave will work too, but you may lose some of that delicious crunchiness. Room temperature is fine too.

So start gathering some simple, delicious and healthful things to prepare so we can focus on what we’re grateful for and what we’ve got as we celebrate the creation of our universe.

Cauliflower with Crunchy Bread Crumbs

Ingredients:

Directions:

Steam or boil (in a small amount of water) cauliflower florets until just barely tender, about 10-14 minutes. Set aside.

Heat saute pan. Add olive oil. Toss in bread crumbs and saute over medium-high heat until the edges begin to brown. Add salt & pepper. Throw in the garlic and continue sauteing until browned through and crunchy.

Turn heat to medium. Add cauliflower and heat through.

Serves 4.

Note: For a dairy meal, add some grated parmesan at the end. Or place in a baking dish, add the parmesan and bake in a medium-hot oven for 15 minutes.

Bonus Rosh Hashanah Recipe: HONEY CAKE…A Lighter Take –  click here