Adapted from Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. Fast and easy.
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets and washed.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-ish tablespoons lemon juice (I just used bottled, but you can use fresh, of course.)
salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
Dutch oven or other large, heavy, pot with a good lid (My pizza-pan improvisation won't do this time.)
Heat the olive oil and, if you want garlic, soften some in it. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add cauliflower.
Keep the lid on the pot except for turning the florets periodically and checking the liquid to make sure they don't stick, and to make sure they all get a turn in the lemon juice. When the florets are fork-tender but not soggy and are starting to brown a bit, they're done.
(Roden called for the florets to be boiled until just tender, but I found that this led to them being overcooked. Don't let them cook dry, but if you leave the lid on the pot and drain the condensation back in when you lift it, you'd be surprised how little it takes to steam all that cauliflower. This may depend in part on your stove and your pan, though.)
The Middle Eastern buffet near my house serves this and we immediately became addicts. It's impossible not to overeat at that place. Luckily, it's mostly vegetables so it won't kill you if you do.
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets and washed.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-ish tablespoons lemon juice (I just used bottled, but you can use fresh, of course.)
salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
Dutch oven or other large, heavy, pot with a good lid (My pizza-pan improvisation won't do this time.)
Heat the olive oil and, if you want garlic, soften some in it. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add cauliflower.
Keep the lid on the pot except for turning the florets periodically and checking the liquid to make sure they don't stick, and to make sure they all get a turn in the lemon juice. When the florets are fork-tender but not soggy and are starting to brown a bit, they're done.
(Roden called for the florets to be boiled until just tender, but I found that this led to them being overcooked. Don't let them cook dry, but if you leave the lid on the pot and drain the condensation back in when you lift it, you'd be surprised how little it takes to steam all that cauliflower. This may depend in part on your stove and your pan, though.)
The Middle Eastern buffet near my house serves this and we immediately became addicts. It's impossible not to overeat at that place. Luckily, it's mostly vegetables so it won't kill you if you do.
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