For the longest time, cauliflower was not getting any love. People thought that the vegetable was boring and bland, leaving little to be desired. Then out of nowhere, it became wildly popular! It's so interesting how these food fads come and go. Remember when Pizza Hut used kale as the salad bar decoration? It's like someone came and taught a handful of people how to make cauliflower actually taste good and those groups of people went and spread the news. Well, today I'm adding on to the long list of cauliflower recipes with my bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs. This dish hits all the hits with a little tangy, salty, and a whole lot of savory!
Bruleed Cauliflower with Chorizo Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
Bruleed cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup gruyere grated
- 2 tablespoon parmesan grated
- ¼ cup chorizo breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon chives chopped
Chorizo breadcrumbs
- ½ ounce chorizo cured
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut cauliflower into small florets. Whisk together ¼ cup olive oil with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, juice of ½ lemon, and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Toss cauliflower with half of the vinaigrette, reserving the other half. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes or until tender, tossing the cauliflower halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the chorizo breadcrumbs. Chop the chorizo into small chunks. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and saute until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the breadcrumbs become golden brown. Remove from heat and drain the chorizo breadcrumbs on paper towels.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Preheat broiler to high.
- Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle ½ cup grated gruyere, and 2 tablespoon grated parmesan. Broil 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Sprinkle chorizo breadcrumbs on top and 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Serve immediately.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
Since cauliflower is a mild-flavored vegetable, it's important to layer on the flavor. We're adding several key ingredients including gruyere, parmesan, mustard, lemon, and chorizo breadcrumbs to highlight the vegetable in the best way possible.
Start by cutting the cauliflower into small florets and tossing them in a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, and mustard. Lay the cauliflower in one even layer on a sheet pan and roast until the thick stalks become tender. To test if the cauliflower is ready, stick a fork in the thickest part of the stem. The fork should be able to go through.
While the vegetable is roasting, make the chorizo breadcrumbs. Chorizo breadcrumbs are my best friend. I love making a large batch of these and throwing them on salads, pasta, pizzas, almost anything. The crispy breadcrumbs with the salty chorizo just bring dishes to life.
For best results, use homemade breadcrumbs and cured chorizo. Uncured chorizo almost melts when cooked while cured chorizo holds its shape. You want the cured version for those small chunks of chorizo throughout the breadcrumbs. A little salty, savory surprise with every bite.
Finish the cauliflower by drizzling on the remaining mustard lemon vinaigrette, and sprinkling on the gruyere and parmesan. Broil for another 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and caramelized. Sprinkle on those lovely chorizo breadcrumbs and chopped chives and there you have it! Bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs sounds like it'll be a winner and you know what? It really is.
For more side dish inspiration check out these orange roasted brussels sprouts!
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