blistered curry cauliflower

I always let the market tell me what to cook. So when I spied perfect cauliflower at the farmers’ market over the weekend, I knew it was time to make this recipe from my friend Amanda Haas’ new cookbook. The timing was doubly good because the theme of her book is taking care of yourself and those you love, and trying to find balance in all things. She calls this “The Vibrant Life” and I haven’t been feeling very vibrant of late (my busted elbow is killing me; my mom had a stroke; the daily news has me apoplectic), so I really needed this. Not that curried cauliflower is going to cure my problems, but it doesn’t hurt to pig out on food that’s good for you and to have the joy of turning something beautiful into something even more beautiful. That’s what vibrant means to me: trying to find a joyful moment every day, no matter how small. But you should read Amanda’s book to find out what vibrant means to her (she even has a section on sex…a cookbook first?)

A couple of other notes about this recipe, which I have made more than once because I love it so. Amanda uses roasted almonds, but it’s great with other nuts. Last night I used peanuts because that’s what I had on hand. Grating garlic is a total pro tip: use your microplane zester to do it (if you don’t have one, it’s okay to use a garlic press). Don’t forgo the pepper. As Amanda writes, “where there’s turmeric, there should be black pepper. It increases the bio-availability of turmeric by 2000 percent.” Who knew? (I didn’t.) As Amanda would say, “Kapow!”

1 large head (or 2 small ones) cauliflower, about 1-1/2 lb total
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup roasted, salted almonds, peanuts, or cashews, chopped
1/4 cup currants (see note below)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
grated zest of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Core the cauliflower then slice it about ½-inch thick; the pieces will fall away into intact slices, some florets, and some bits and bobs. That’s what you want!

In a bowl large enough to fit all the cauliflower, combine the olive oil, garlic, curry powder, turmeric and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Grind in pepper, about ½ teaspoon. Stir to blend spices into oil. Add cauliflower and toss until well-coated with the oil mixture. Spread cauliflower on baking sheet and bake until tender and browned in spots, 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Return cauliflower to the bowl you used for mixing and add the nuts, currants, mint and lime zest; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

note: if your currants are dried out, rehydrate them by soaking in a cup of warm tap water while cauliflower bakes, then draining them. If they are moist and plump from the package, no need to rehydrate.