My cauliflower didn’t get to sear as much as I wanted for this dish because I was pressured for time. So you can’t see much of the blistering I was aiming for in the florets compared to this other delicious cauliflower recipe. Regardless the flavor was excellent: sweet, smoky with a slight crunch to it.

pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

Roasting cauliflower either in the oven or on the stovetop brings out a whole new dimension of flavors to this humble cruciferous vegetable. I urge you to give it a try sometime. I complemented the natural flavors with lemon, lime, cayenne pepper and the pea shoots. Serve it a side dish.

pan roasted cauliflower with pea shoots

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 cups pea shoots
4 cloves garlic cut into slivers

Toss cauliflower with salt, black pepper and 2 tbsp. olive oil. Place in on a non-stick pan and pan roast it for about 15-20 minutes or until soft but with a crunch. Towards the last five minutes, add garlic, remaining olive oil, then cook for a minute or so until raw garlic smell is gone. Add pea shots, cover pan and let them wilt. Remove from heat, squeeze in lemon and lime juices. Toss in cayenne. Taste, adjust flavors. Sprinkle with paprika and serve warm or at room temperature.