After roasting together in the oven, the contrasting cauliflower and kale look nice together on a platter, garnished with toasted pine nuts. The brown butter—which takes only a few minutes to make—gives the pair a nutty flavor, but if you can also substitute olive oil, if that’s easier. We’re not crisping kale here, but going for an intermediary stage of softened, cooked kale. For some added depth, top with some grated Parmesan or Gruyère.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoons
- 1 medium head of cauliflower cut into uniform, bite-size florets (5 to 6 cups)
- 4 cups curly kale (about ½ bunch, stripped from stalk, chopped or torn into bite-size pieces, rinsed, and dried)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the kale
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Heat the butter in a small, thick-bottomed stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Whisk the butter as it foams and continue as the foam begins to disappear and you begin to see brown bits, 3 to 4 minutes. It should smell nutty. Remove from the heat to prevent burning and set aside.
- Place the cauliflower on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the butter. Mix well to coat. Season with the salt and place the cauliflower in the oven, turning at least once during roasting to prevent any side from burning. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Place the kale in a bowl and rub the remaining tablespoon of butter and two pinches of salt into the kale. Try to get all parts of the kale pieces buttered.
- After the cauliflower has roasted for 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Push the cauliflower to one side of the baking sheet and add the kale. Continue to roast for another 12 minutes or so, mixing at least once, for a total of about 27 minutes. The cauliflower should be easily pierced with a fork, and the kale softened, pleasantly edible with some pieces being slightly crispy. Times could vary depending on the size of the cut cauliflower.
- Turn the duo onto a platter, mix together, and top with the pine nuts.
