Oven Roasted Cutlet-Style Cauliflower

As the daughter of a greengrocer, I have to admit, I pretty much love all vegetables. I grew up eating all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies, many of which were organic, before it was even cool to eat organic! And I don't really discriminate, I can't think of any that I don't enjoy. Sure, some I find tastier than others and favored, but I wouldn't turn any away.

Then, there's cauliflower. 

I can't say I dislike cauliflower, but let's just say, it needs help! I mean, let's be honest, it has little flavor and usually needs some addition to flavoring it up. I do eat it with pasta and sauce, and you can get that recipe here. But even better than that, is this oven-roasted, cutlet-style cauliflower! 

Treat cauliflower as you would some delicious baked cutlets, and now we're talking! In this recipe, I roast it in the oven, but you could follow the recipe below and fry it up instead. Baked is also a lot healthier and less messy. 

Below are the step-by-step instructions for oven-roasted cutlet-style cauliflower. This is a great appetizer or side dish next to some chicken or steak. 

Place the blanched cauliflower in a bowl to cool off, so you can handle it with ease. 

Prep two bowls, one with the breadcrumbs and grated cheese, and one with the eggs, which have been beaten. As you can see, I love a lot of cheese in this, I find that that is what gives this dish the most flavor, so don't be skimpy. And I love bakery breadcrumbs whenever possible, they have more flavor than the ones you find in the cardboard box.  Chances are, those have been sitting in that cardboard for a while, and to me, it's almost like I can taste the cardboard. 

Dip the blanched cauliflower florets in the beaten eggs. 

Coat the florets in the bread and cheese mixture. Give it a heavy coat, the mixture is delicious. 

Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed heavily with non-stick cooking spray. 

Plate and serve! How delicious do these look? Serve simply with some lemon wedges. 

Oven Roasted Cutlet-Style Cauliflower 

Ingredients 
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cauliflower, trimmed so only the florets remain
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
1 cup bread crumbs 
2 large eggs

Instructions 
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, add the cauliflower and salt and enough water to cover them. Bring to a full boil and blanch the florets for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. While the cauliflower is boiling, mix the bread crumbs and cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Beat the 2 eggs in a separate bowl and set aside. 
4. Drain the cauliflower and quickly rinse under cold water.
5. Dredge one floret at a time in the beaten egg, then coat in the bread crumb and cheese mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake the florets for 20 minutes, turning midway for even cooking.
​7. Serve hot with lemon wedges, if desired. 

Wine Pairing: Roasted cauliflower pairs wonderfully with Italian chardonnay wines. 

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