It’s been a crazy weekend. Snow once again. This kind of thing just doesn’t happen here. But there you have it. Last weekend we were snowed in. And this weekend too.
I used to live on the East Coast: Connecticut, Boston and New York. So you’d think I’d be one of the few in Rome that had the skill set to deal with an amount of snow that (if truth be told) wouldn’t even make a North Carolinan blink. But I’ve grown out of the habit. Turns out snow skills are not like riding a bike. I’m not prepared from a clothes point of view (no snow boots, and I don’t think I’ve owned a hat in about ten years).
And I also forgot about the whole food hoarding thing. You know, run out and buy way more food than you really need just in case you get snowed in. So there I was, on Friday night, with not much food in the house. We had been invited out to dinner, but were actually snowed in. In Rome. Go figure.
Luckily I had a couple of heads of cauliflower in the fridge that Domenico had brought back from our garden in Todi a few weeks ago. Yes, a few weeks ago. First of all the cauliflower was obviously super fresh when he picked it. And it sort of last for weeks, once it’s in the fridge. (good to know for the next snow storm)
Luckily I also had plenty of brown rice, and even some tofu. So as the snow fell on the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon I was able to whip up a healthy – yet comforting – dinner to see us through the blizzard.
Roasted Cauliflower
1 large head of cauliflower or 2 small
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 200C/400F
Wash and thoroughly dry the cauliflower. Cut it into small florets.
Put them in a bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Add thinly sliced garlic.
Add cumin and coriander, salt and pepper and toss again.
Spread cauliflower out on a baking tray and roast for about 15 – 20 minutes, until browned at the edges and tender. Give it a stir about half way through.
Serve as a side, or do what I did to turn it into something more substantial: add cubed tofu in the last 5 minutes of roasting and serve it atop brown rice, drizzled with a bit more olive oil and grated parmasan at the table. 
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Who would that North Carolinian be??? Remember way back when Ella Grasso, the gov. of Connecticut closed all state roads. We walked up to the A&P to get baking supplies so we could make cookies. People were skiing down the post road.
By the way the roasted cauliflower looks yummy
I don’t remember who the governor was, but I do remember the storm. But as I recall our goal was to get to McDonalds.
What one can do with just a few things!
We had six snow days in Central North Carolina last year and hardly a night below freezing this winter. The cauliflower seems like a terrific idea even if it isn’t snowing–I’m going to try it in balmy NC!
Who knew I had so many readers in NC?!
I love this. Here in France, we would drown the cauliflower in cream and cheese to make a gratin. Comfort food, to be sure (and in this cold we are eating tons of it) but not at all the same thing as what you have offered here. Stay warm and merci!
Cream is good. Actually, very very good.
@anonymous where are you? I’m in Wilmington
The cauliflower looks terrific.Good tossed with pasta, too. I am imagining the snow falling through the oculus of the Pantheon. Wow.
Yes, perfect tossed with pasta!