Let’s be honest. Cauliflower isn’t a sexy vegetable. Few people crave it with any sort of regularity (or ever). The good news is, after tasting this simple recipe, you just might!

 Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower with Bacon Sprinkles
1 large head of cauliflower
1 small lemon
4 cloves garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Thyme
4 Tbsp parmesan
2 strips uncured bacon 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets and spread onto baking sheet with garlic cloves. (I won’t judge if you want to add more. Roasted garlic is delicious!)
3. Toss with the freshly squeezed juice of one small (or 1/2 large) lemon.
4. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Sprinkle with salt. (I used freshly ground Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt but table salt is fine.)
6. Toss well to coat the florets evenly.
7. Add a generous amount of thyme sprigs on top of the florets and pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
8. While cauliflower is roasting, heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Using kitchen scissors, cut bacon into small pieces (called lardons) and fry in a tiny amount of olive oil. Bacon has plenty of fat that will fill the pan as it cooks so you don’t need much oil. Don’t walk away from the bacon. Keep an eye on it and stir every so often so it doesn’t burn.
9. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and allow to cool on a paper towel. This will drain access fat.
10. When the cauliflower is lightly browned and easily pierced with a fork, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish, taking care to remove the roasted thyme stems. Toss cauliflower with parmesan cheese and top with bacon sprinkles. Serve immediately. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

 
Happy roasting,

The Rose Table
@therosetable
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