I have recently discovered how wonderful it is to roast cauliflower and broccoli. There is something about dry heating that adds an extra dimension of flavor that boiling or steaming omits, and with dry roasting you don't have a wet mess on your hands. The idea for this dinner for day # 2 on the Carb Night Diet was to somehow pair marinated skinless chicken thighs with cheesy cauliflower. Not real inventive, but I tried to put a tasty spin on it.
The Cauliflower was simply placed in a dutch oven and seasoned with a little olive oil, garlic, and garlic seasoning for steaks (which includes salt). It went into the oven at 400 for about 40 min.
The floret's picked up a rich golden color and had a nutty aroma after roasting. I was shocked and amazed at how the cauliflower alone was nutty and savory, but had a very sweet presence as well.
While the cauliflower was roasting, I cooked the chicken thighs at a low temperature in a cast iron skillet with a heavy lid weighing it down. The thighs cooked for about 12 min a side and got a crisp crust. The marinade and longer cook time really broke down the thighs and its crust provided a wonderful crunch.
The chicken got diced up and added to the cauliflower which was topped with some cheese before going back in the oven to finish.
When the cauliflower and chicken came out of the oven, the cheese had given it a warm blanket and became a wonderful trifecta of flavor. The crunch that the chicken had complimented the sweet and savory cauliflower and gave it almost a holiday stuffing taste in my mouth. The cheese... well everything goes better with cheese!
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