spicy roasted cauliflower with red peppers and cumin

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cauliflower roasted vegetables red peppers

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This fabulous recipe is based on one in Peter Berley’s first cookbook: The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. Although it has Indian spices in it, it’s so delicious that I find excuses to make it as an appetizer no matter what kind of dinner I’m serving. Make it with the carrot & mint salad with currants and the red lentils with zucchini for an Indian feast!

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 large or 2 medium cauliflower heads (about 2 pounds), cored and separated into florets
2 or 3 large red or yellow bell peppers, halved, seeded, and sliced into ½” strips

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, salt, ground cumin, coriander, cumin seeds, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the cauliflower and bell peppers and toss well.
4. Coat 2 baking sheets with non-stick spray or oil. (This makes clean-up a lot easier.) Spread the vegetables out on them in a single layer. Don’t overload the baking sheets—do this in two separate batches if you want to make a double batch, since the veggies will steam instead of roast if you crowd them on the sheets.
5. Roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes or more, until they are starting to get dark brown in spots and they are nice and tender when poked with a paring knife. Stir after 10 minutes to ensure even browning.
6. Transfer the veggies to a serving dish. They are great hot or at room temperature, and make great leftovers.