Cauliflower

My wonderful boyfriend Ben is currently in his second year of medical school at NYU and has been teaching a cooking class for his fellow med students. A few years back he went to the Institute of Culinary Education here in NYC and did a stint at Per Se, so, needless to say, he really knows his way around the kitchen. Seeing as how I have some extra time on my hands since Domino folded, I've been recipe testing for him and enjoying every second. I feel just like Julia Child each time I make a notation of something I think he should add to make the recipe easier to follow for novices like myself. The dishes he has put together are really fantastic and super simple. This first one I tried totally blew me away because it resulted in a bowl of cauliflower so delicious, I stood in our kitchen and devoured the entire thing. Seriously, when's the last time you ate an entire bowl of cauliflower! It would make a perfect side dish for a dinner party and I love the yellow color the cauliflower gets from the turmeric. Enjoy!!

Spiced Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups cauliflower, cut into small, 1-inch florets (about 3/4 head)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 cup coarse breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes, and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cauliflower and shake the pan to evenly distribute into one layer. Cook, without stirring, until browned slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, cumin, turmeric, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, many grinds of black pepper, and toss to coat. Continue to cook until cauliflower is tender but retains some bite, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the sherry vinegar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, toss together, and serve.