CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER WITH PEPPERS & ONIONS

SERVES 4

HERE’S A QUICK AND EASY WAY to celebrate the vegetable—just chop it and you’re ready to go. The smaller pieces create more surface for browning, which is where the magic is when you’re cooking cauliflower without liquid. That’s why I like to pop the pan into the oven to roast the cauliflower for a few minutes; it tastes best when it holds its shape. Peppers and onions are a natural pairing that enhances the cauliflower experience, especially eaten with a bowl of quinoa—now that’s a meal.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small head cauliflower, chopped

1 small head Romanesco, chopped

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

½ bell pepper, quartered, seeded, and sliced

½ small onion, halved crosswise and sliced

A few gratings nutmeg

Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and Romanesco and cook until well browned in places, about 4 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until tender, about 6 minutes.

Return the skillet to the stove, turn the heat to high, and add the butter, peppers, onions, and a little nutmeg. Add salt and pepper and cook until the peppers and onions are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the parsley.