Every now and then a vegetable will surprise you . . . if you let it.

Perhaps you’ve gotten in the habit of always preparing a veggie the same way until one day, quite unexpectedly, your eyes open to new possibilities you haven’t considered before. You begin to see an old favorite in a new light.

That’s how I felt when I tried Cara Mangini’s Roasted Cauliflower Hummus recipe.

Cauliflower and I had worn a rut in our relationship. We had lost the chemistry that keeps things fresh and surprising in the kitchen. We needed to spice things up.

So . . . I decided to get back to basics. I gently caressed some florets with olive oil, then tossed them with salt and pepper and spread them on a baking sheet. Next, I moved to the oven where I roasted them slowly at high heat to coax out their hidden caramelized sweetness.

After the heat had softened their resistance, I pureed them with a mix of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, a little honey, and a touch more olive oil before finishing strong with a surprise kiss of smoked paprika.

Happy ending!!

If you’re ready to reignite your relationship with cauliflower, be sure to whip up a batch of this sexy hummus. You’ll never look at cauliflower the same way again.

*Many thanks to ceramic artist Pandora Nash Karner for this beautiful, handmade bowl. Her one-of-a-kind ceramics elevate the presentation of any dish on your table.

CARA MANGINI’S  ROASTED CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS 

Printable recipe: roasted-cauliflower-hummus

Ingredients:

• (1) medium-size head organic cauliflower
• Olive oil
• (2) tablespoons tahini
• (1) tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• (1) teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• (1) garlic clove, grated
• ground sea salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Rinse the cauliflower, remove stem, and break into florets. Place in a mixing bowl and douse with olive oil plus generous grinds of salt and pepper.
3. Lay florets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Roast on center oven rack for 12 minutes until they begin to soften.
4. Uncover and continue roasting another 10 minutes (the cauliflower should begin to brown). Turn the florets and roast another 10-12 minutes until they are golden-brown and completely tender.
5. Remove the caramelized florets from oven and transfer to a food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, honey, smoked paprika and a pinch of sea salt. Grate the garlic clove (or more to taste) directly into the mixture with a microplane.
6. Blend the mixture while streaming in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until pureed.
7. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice. Blend in more olive oil or a splash of water for a thinner consistency.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator to develop flavors. Serve with assorted raw veggies, crackers, bread sticks, or whatever sounds good!