Shouting it from the rooftops

What can I say about cauliflower that's worth saying? To most, it's an afterthought, broccoli's bland brother, something moms use to fill the plates of their misbehaved children. It's beige and usually steamed with no seasonings and all too often really, grossly mushy like paste (that, ironically, so many kids that hate cauliflower like to eat) and, well, none of this is news. 

What can I say? Except that I love - write-it's-name-on-my-notebook, shout-it-from-the-rooftops LOVE! - cauliflower.

I know it's not cauliflower season. I know I should be reveling in the bounty of fresh tomatoes, and trust me I am, but when I saw this beautiful head at the store I just couldn't resist. I mean, it's purple! 

I have a little thing for purple, you see. All summer I've been snap-snap-snapping pictures of purple beets and potatoes and eggplant and blueberries and a purple windbreaker hanging from the balcony across mine. I even bought an oversized purple handbag! 

I guess the head of cauliflower wasn't much of a splurge in comparison, but toasty and tender right from the oven, the little purple florets beat the giant purse hands down. 

That's right, I said from the oven. Steaming has no business being around cauliflower as far as I'm concerned, but this preparation is just as easy. Toss with oil, season and roast. Seasoning can be as minimal as salting, but I tried it with fresh ground black pepper and cinnamon, which I know sounds weird but I really, really recommend. A slow roast followed by a blast of super-high heat tenderizes the florets, allows their natural sweetness to come out and mingle with the salt and cinnamon, and scorches the tips into a lush golden-brown that gives way like caramel under the tooth. 

It scares me a little to use words like "cinnamon" and "roast" on August 24. The first day of fall is still a month away and I've promised myself I'll steer clear of autumn gourds until October. Every year I'm too quick to say so long to summer. Every year, as if though suffering from an inverted seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I long for the chill in the air signaling me to exchange plastic flip flops for leather boots, skimpy tank tops for boxy jackets and thick scarves. And every year, I always end up regretting taking the berries and corn and plums for granted.

But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. The Bay Area's gearing up for a mini-heat wave due to hit in just a couple of days, and I've still got a batch of plums waiting for me in the crisper. Summer's not over yet, and I have no intention of missing it. Nothing wrong with enjoying a little misplaced SAD in the meantime. 

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Roasted cauliflower 

1 medium head of cauliflower, split into 1- to 2-inch wide florets (purple is pretty but white cauliflower will work here too)

2 tablespoons olive oil (or enough spray oil to coat cauliflower florets)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Dash cinnamon (optional)

Position rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Drizzle olive oil or spray oil over florets, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cinnamon if using. Toss to coat. 

Spread the coated cauliflower in a large, shallow baking pan, in one layer, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and roast the cauliflower for 30 minutes. 

Remove foil cover and discard. Turn the florets over and increase the heat to 450 degrees for the 5 minutes, for a total roasting time of about 35 minutes. 

The cauliflower should be tender on the outside but still crisp on the inside.