Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Wild Rice

Earthy and dense, cauliflower can easily turn a vegetarian side dish into a hearty main course. Unlike the distinct flavor of, say, broccoli, cauliflower blends itself into its surrounding flavors and complements even the spiciest of dishes. This particular recipe combines a pesto made of sweet sun-dried tomatoes, green garlic and walnuts, with wild rice and cauliflower that I roasted in a cast iron pot.   

I don't usually pick solid wild rice because it is so much more expensive than brown rice, but since I was incorporating so many other ingredients I didn't need much, and it proved to be well worth the $7.50 per pound price tag. My favorite part of this recipe was the chopped walnuts that I picked up at the Old Oakland farmers' market. I never knew walnuts could taste so fresh!

Ingredients for Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Wild Rice

1 medium head of cauliflower, separated in smallish florets
1/4 pound of sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 stalks of green garlc, dark green parts removed, chopped
1 cup of chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup dried wild rice - cook in boiling water for about 40 min.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

First The Pesto:
Heat up a saute pan, and add some olive oil. When the oil is hot, add half the walnuts. After about 2 min., add the green garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes and add the tomatoes and salt and pepper. Lower the heat a bit and cook for 5 min. When the garlic is softened, empty the saute pan into a food processor and pulse it a few times. Don't let the food processor run too long - you want the pesto to be chunky.

This is what your pesto should look like. It's not pureed – all the ingredients are still distinguishable.

Next the Cauliflower:
Heat up a cast iron pot. Add some olive oil, and when hot, throw in the cauliflower. Cover and let cook for about 5 min. before checking it. Add some salt and pepper, and stir every few minutes for a total of about 20 minutes, or until it's nice a brown.

Finally - Assemble
When the cauliflower is done, add the pesto and the cooked rice to the cast iron pot and put the heat on low. Add the rest of the walnuts. Toss to combine, and taste for flavor.

Tips and Changes:
- I usually roast cauliflower in the oven, but this was just as good. As long as it gets nice and brown, you're in good shape.
- Don't feel obligated to splurge on wild rice. You can use brown rice, but the wild rice definitely adds a unique touch, and great color, to this dish.
- Try and find the freshest walnuts you can find – it is totally worth it. The difference between walnuts from the supermarket and those from the farm is just as great as other produce.

Where I Shopped:
Fresh Walnuts, Green Garlic: Old Oakland Farmers' Market
Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Wild Rice: Whole Foods, Berkeley
Cauliflower:Temescal Farmers' Market, Oakland