My sister's good friend Rhonda is a wonderfully talented, smart, funny woman who also happens to be an excellent cook. A bunch of us were away on a "women's weekend" together and she made this recipe up on the fly as a side dish one night.




Before cooking the cauliflower, Rhonda heated mustard seeds in oil until they popped, releasing all of their fragrance and flavor into the oil. It was pretty exciting if you're a combination food/science nerd like me, or if you just like miniature explosions and/or popping noises. Even if the burning hot, oily popping mustard part of the concept stresses you out- this is a simple and delicious way to prepare cauliflower, and I see myself putting it on the table quite a bit in the near future.

I ate the leftovers this morning for breakfast. (NB: I don't like breakfast food that much, except bacon, so I usually eat dinner foods for breakfast.) I prepared my breakfast by heating the cauliflower in a pan, then stirring in some plain whole milk yogurt, chopped mint, and salt, and putting it over that sprouted whole wheat pasta. During that blissful gustatory moment I decided it was unfair for all of y'all to go on one more day without knowing about this most excellent way to prepare cauliflower.






Rhonda's Spiced Cauliflower
this amount should feed 4 people as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tblsp canola oil or vegetable oil
• 1 Tblsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 onion, chopped finely
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• florets of one head cauliflower
• salt

Method:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil and mustard seeds over medium high heat until mustard seeds begin to pop. (This is the exciting part, but don't get to close, you could lose an eye!)
• Once most of the seeds have popped and become fragrant, add the onions and garlic and lower the heat. Cook, stirring,  until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and raise heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes, until cauliflower is lightly browned and cooked al dente.