Roasted Cauliflower with tomatoes and peppers

Cauliflower has recently re-entered our food consciousness and is now bang on trend as a healthy alternative to meat. Traditionally served steamed, boiled or baked with cheese, chefs are now finding more imaginative ways to prepare this creamy white member of the cabbage family. Here we cut the cauliflower into florets and roast it with tomatoes, peppers, shallots, garlic, rosemary, thyme, a drizzle of oil and a big hit of smoked paprika. The dish takes just 20 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to roast and can be served as a starter, a side or as a hearty main meal with pasta or sourdough bread. You can also, if you wish, give this recipe a finishing touch by adding a scattering of toasted almonds or a handful of crumbly feta cheese.

Ingredients – serves 4  

1 x large cauliflower cut into small florets.

6 x shallots peeled and cut in half.

1 red pepper deseed and sliced. 

1 yellow pepper deseeded and sliced.

400g of mixed cherry and heirloom tomatoes.

2 x cloves of garlic finely grated.

1 x handful fresh thyme. 

1 x handful of chopped rosemary.

2 x heaped tsp. of smoked paprika.

100 ml of extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil.

Juice of half a lemon.

Salt and pepper. 

Method

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees.

Spread the peppers, tomatoes and shallots on the bottom of a baking dish. 

Then spread over the cauliflower florets.

Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower.

Scatter the chopped garlic, paprika, thyme and rosemary evenly over the vegetables.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Rest for 5 minutes then squeeze over some lemon juice and serve with mixed leaves.