Grilled Cauliflower

While walking the farmers market last weekend, the cutest little heads of cauliflower caught my attention. What is it about mini vegetables that is irresistible?

I’d seen these before and inquired if they were a specific variety. To my surprise, the vendor told me no. They are simply heads of cauliflower harvested early.

Since this was the case, I knew they wouldn’t be around for long so this time I didn’t pass up the opportunity to grab a few. Three to be exact. I asked if they had more small heads and the three I grabbed were the last. Clearly other people have a thing for mini veggies, too.

I know you can bake a whole head of cauliflower, but I love these little guys because they provide an individual serving. Everyone gets their own little cauliflower.

I can hardly stand the cuteness!

The other day, I had the grill going for another project and while I was digging around in the produce drawer, I found the cauliflower. I’d nearly forgotten about them! Since the grill was already heated and ready to go, I decided to coat them in some olive oil and spices and give grilled cauliflower a try.

They were perfect for grilling. They were tender in about 20 minutes with the grill hovering around 375 to 400 degrees F. We use a kamado style grill so the charcoal gave the veggie a lovely smoked flavor that went well with the cumin and coriander I used to season them.  

Our grill tends to be out year round, but it still doesn’t exactly feel like grilling season in the middle of January. All it took was these little cauliflower to change that and make realize that it’s finally March. I’m hoping I can find these little heads a while longer because this is one recipe I will be making again and again. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (or more if you like)
1 lb. small heads of cauliflower (3 to 4)

Preparation

Preheat the grill to 375 to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and all seasonings. 

Place the cauliflower on a plate or tray. Pour the dressing over the heads of cauliflower and rub to coat them evenly. 

Grill the cauliflower stem-side down for 20 minutes, or until tender. They will be slightly blackened on the bottom and golden brown all over the top. Serve warm.