Sheet-Pan Garam Masala Chicken with Cauliflower & Chickpeas

I love yogurt-based marinades because the resulting meat is always juicy and tender. This dish not only had a yogurt marinade, it was made on a single sheet pan and had a bright and spicy “finishing condiment” as well. A winner. 🙂

The rimmed sheet pan did accumulate a lot of pan juices, but the chicken and cauliflower were still perfectly crispy on top. The cauliflower and chickpeas absorbed a lot of wonderful flavors from the pan drippings as well.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Kat Boytsova. I added chickpeas and served the roasted chicken, cauliflower, and beans over rice, drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. The lemony cilantro-onion-jalapeño finishing condiment was essential and absolutely delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 3″ piece ginger, peeled
• 2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup (or more) 2% Greek yogurt, for serving (can substitute whole-milk yogurt)
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 T garam masala, divided
• 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)
• 2 T plus 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 head of jumbo cauliflower (about 3 lbs)
• 3 T vegetable oil or olive oil

For the Finishing Condiment:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and ribbed- if desired
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• rice and/or warm flatbread, for serving, optional

To Marinate the Chicken & Prepare the Dish:

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. (I set my oven to convection roast.) Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Finely grate 3″ piece ginger into a medium bowl. Transfer all but 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger to a large resealable plastic bag, reserving ginger in bowl for the finishing condiment. (I used a gallon-size bag.)
3. Add 2 cups whole-milk yogurt to bag with ginger.
4. Cut 1 lemon in half crosswise and squeeze juice from each half into the yogurt mixture.
5. Add cayenne and 2 T plus 1 tsp garam masala. Seal bag and shake to combine.
6. Season 8 chicken pieces with 5 tsp salt. (I placed the chicken on a plate, seasoned with half the salt, turned each piece over, and seasoned with the rest of the salt.)
7. Place chicken pieces in the marinade bag, seal, and shake again to cover all the pieces.
8. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag, which makes sure that all the chicken is covered with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours. (I marinated the chicken 3 hours in advance, letting it come closer to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before roasting.)
9. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Lay out on a paper towel to dry thoroughly.
10. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into quarters through stem end. Place quarters cut side down and remove most of the core. The cauliflower florets should fall apart and separate naturally, but you can slice any larger florets in half or into quarters until all florets are about 2″ in size. You want the more or less evenly sized so they’re cook evenly.
11. Transfer cauliflower and beans to the prepared baking sheet.
12. Drizzle 3 T oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt over and toss to coat. Spread evenly all the way to edges of pan, making sure that the pieces aren’t too crowded, otherwise they’ll steam instead of roasting. (If you ended up with more cauliflower than can fit in a single layer, take some out and save it for something else.)
13. Remove chicken from marinade, slightly shaking off excess. Arrange on baking sheet skin side up, nestling into cauliflower. (It’s okay if some marinade clings to the chicken, just make sure it’s not pooling in pan.)
14. Roast chicken and cauliflower, turning pan halfway through and moving chicken around with tongs to ensure even browning, until chicken skin is blistered, meat is tender all the way to the bone, and cauliflower is nicely charred, 35–40 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To Make the Finishing Condiment and to Serve:

1. Chop the onion, place it in a colander, and rinse it with cold water. (This removes some of the onion’s sharpness.)
2. In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the cilantro.
3. Add the onion to the food processor, finely chop.
4. Add onion and cilantro to the bowl with the reserved ginger (from step 2 above).
5. Finely grate zest of remaining lemon into the bowl. Cut lemon in half and squeeze 1 half into the bowl; reserve remaining half for another use.
6. Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeño, if desired, finely chop. Alternatively, it can be thinly sliced into rings. Add to the bowl.
7. Season with remaining 2 tsp garam masala and 3/4 tsp salt.
8. Mix with a spoon to combine, taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary.
9. Arrange chicken, beans, and cauliflower over rice, if desired, on individual plates or on a platter. Drizzle with pan juices, as desired.
10. Top with lemon condiment and serve with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt to pass at the table, as desired. (I served 2% Greek yogurt with the meal.)

Vegetable Baked Rice with White Beans & Leeks

Baked rice is quick and easy to prepare and is really delicious. This baked rice dish was inspired by prasorizo, the classic Greek rice-and-leek dish. It makes a great vegetarian main dish or a phenomenal side. We ate it as a main dish with rotisserie chicken on the side. 😉 The freshly grated Parmesan really added richness to the meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. Almost any vegetable can be incorporated into the dish.  I added my beautiful CSA Romanesco cauliflower (with its greens) as well as baby spinach. The original recipe suggests alternatively adding tomatoes, zucchini, and/or broccoli with the leeks, or arugula and/or sliced sugar snap peas after the dish is removed from the oven.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 to 5 leeks (about 2 pounds), trimmed, white and pale green parts, cut lengthwise & sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 lemon
• chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli florets, and/or cauliflower florets, optional (I used Romanesco cauliflower florets)
• 1/4 cup raw almonds (I used raw slivered almonds), or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white basmati rice
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern), drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water or stock
• coarsely chopped spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas (I used 2 cups chopped baby spinach)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped basil, chives, mint or fennel fronds, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Soak sliced leeks in a bowl of water, remove with a slotted spoon or spider, then shake or pat dry.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1-inch-thick strips of lemon zest, then cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into four wedges and reserve the other half.
4. In a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, combine the leeks, lemon zest strips, almonds, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. (I used an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
5. If adding chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and/or cauliflower, add to the pan with the leeks. (I added Romanesco cauliflower florets.)
6. Season generously with salt and pepper, and arrange in an even layer. Roast until the leeks start to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove and finely chop the lemon zest strips, then stir the zest back into the leek mixture. Arrange in an even layer.
8. Sprinkle the rice evenly over the leeks, then top with the beans and 1 teaspoon salt.
9. Add the boiling water or stock, then seal the pan tightly with foil.
10. Bake until the rice is tender, 20 to 22 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
12. If adding spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas, add them in at this time. (I added the Romanesco cauliflower greens, ribs removed and finely sliced, as well as 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped.)
13. Squeeze the lemon half over the rice, then stir in Parmesan and herbs.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Serve with lemon wedges, and more Parmesan and herbs, as desired.

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Mustard Vinaigrette

My daughter and I made this lovely dish as a side for our Thanksgiving feast- although it was practically her entire meal. She absolutely loves cauliflower and garbanzo beans and is not a big fan of other Thanksgiving dishes. Dessert is her exception. 😉

This dish was adapted from It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen, via theyellowtable.com. Healthy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 6 as a side dish

• 14 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and dried
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• coarse salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole grain seeded mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF, preferably on convection roast.
2. Toss the chickpeas and cauliflower florets together on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet or in a large roasting pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt.
3. Roast, stirring now and then, until everything is dark brown and the cauliflower is quite soft, about 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the mustards, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, or to taste.
5. While the chickpeas and cauliflower are still warm, toss them with the mustard dressing and the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cauliflower Bolognese

This healthy, hearty, and tasty vegetarian dish is from one of Bon Appétit’s “healthy-ish” issues. It initially had a mixed reception from the meat lovers in my house because the sauce closely resembled meat sauce in appearance and texture- but not in taste, of course. They gobbled it up in the end. 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Andy Baraghani. I increased the amount of garlic, used freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce (and to reheat leftovers). I served it with roasted asparagus. Yum.

Yield: 6 servings

• 12 oz mushrooms, such as shiitake or crimini, stems removed
• 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2¼ lbs), broken into florets
• 6 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 T unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 to 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 chile, such as serrano, Holland, or Fresno, thinly sliced, or ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 T finely chopped rosemary
• ⅓ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
• Kosher salt
• 1 lb rigatoni
• 2 oz finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 3 T finely chopped parsley
• freshly grated zest of 1/2 to 1 lemon

1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out food processor bowl.
2. Working in 3 batches, pulse cauliflower in food processor until pieces are about the size of a grain of rice (some smaller and some larger ones are fine), transferring to a medium bowl as you go.
3. Heat ¼ cup oil and 2 T butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high.
4. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4–6 minutes.
5. Add onion and 2 T oil to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, 6–8 minutes.
6. Add garlic, chile, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened and mixture is very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
7. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
8. Add cauliflower and cook, yes, still stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is cooked down slightly and begins to stick to bottom of pot, 6–8 minutes.
9. Season with salt, then keep warm over low heat.
10. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water.
11. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with sauce.
12. Add Parmesan, remaining 2 T butter, and 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and sauce is clinging to pasta, about 3 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
14. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (it’ll probably need another pinch or two).
15. Finely zest lemon over pasta and toss once more.
16. Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more Parmesan, then drizzle with oil.

Cauliflower Parmesan

I have made this wonderfully cheesy dish a couple of times already- just to get the proportions right. I knew that I had to increase the amount of simple and flavorful sauce after making it the first time.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I lightened the dish by baking the cauliflower after coating it instead of frying it. We ate it over linguini fini with sautéed broccoli rabe on the side. Wonderful!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 6 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red Chile flakes, optional
• 3 (28-ounce) cans whole or diced plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 3 sprigs basil or 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• scant 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Parmesan rind, optional

1. In a large, straight-sided skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. (I used an enameled cast iron pot with a glass lid.)
2. Add garlic and cook until just lightly golden.
3. Add chile flakes if desired and cook 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tomatoes and juices, basil or bay leaf, and salt and pepper.
5. Bring sauce to a simmer, add the Parmesan rind, if using, and cook until sauce is thick and tomatoes have mostly fallen apart, about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to keep at a steady simmer. If using whole plum tomatoes, mash them up with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to help them break down.
6. Remove sauce from heat and discard basil or bay leaf.

For the Cauliflower & To Finish the Dish:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups panko or plain unseasoned bread crumbs
• Kosher salt, as needed
• freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 1 large or 2 small/medium heads cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2-inch florets (I used 1 small and 1 medium)
• olive oil, for drizzling
• Simple Tomato Sauce (recipe above)
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
• linguine fini or other pasta, optional, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. Place flour, eggs, and panko into three wide, shallow bowls. (I used glass pie dishes.) Season each generously with salt and pepper.
3. Dip a cauliflower piece first in flour, then eggs, then coat with panko. Repeat with remaining cauliflower.
4. Place on 2 parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheets. Roast coated florets for 22-24 minutes, or until nicely browned.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
6. Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
7. Sprinkle one-third of the Parmesan over sauce.
8. Scatter half cauliflower mixture over the Parmesan and top with half the mozzarella pieces.
9. Top with half the remaining sauce, sprinkle with another third of the Parmesan and repeat layering, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan.
10. Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden and casserole is bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes. While the dish is baking, prepare the pasta, if desired.
11. Let cool a few minutes before serving. Serve over prepared pasta, as desired.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts & Bacon

Yes- more soup! It may be sunny outside but it is still freezing. The positive spin I’ve taken on this gloomy situation is that I can still make delicious soup for dinner. 🙂

This recipe is from one of my favorite magazine columns, the RSVP section of Bon Appétit. It was adapted from chef Mark Filatow of Waterfront Wines in Kelowna, British Columbia. It was fabulous!

• ½ cup raw hazelnuts
• 2 T baking soda
• 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small florets
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling, optional
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 ounces)
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 small onion or ½ of a large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup dry white wine or water
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves

1. Blanch and Peel the Hazelnuts: Boil 1 ½ cups water in a small saucepan. Add 2 T baking soda and the nuts. Boil for 3 minutes, or until the skin is easily removed. Drain, rinse with cold water, and peel the skin off of the nuts.
2. Preheat oven to 350°, preferably on convection roast.
3. Toast the blanched hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
4. While the nuts are cooling, increase oven to 400°, preferably on convection roast.
5. Toss cauliflower and 2 T oil on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until florets are browned all over and tender, 30–35 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cut bacon crosswise into ½” pieces.
7. Heat a heavy pot over medium and cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
8. Cook fennel, onion, and garlic (I chopped them using a food processor) in drippings in pot, stirring occasionally, until onion and fennel are very soft, 5–10 minutes.
9. Add wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
10. Add roasted cauliflower, broth, cream, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper.
11. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 20–25 minutes.
12. Pluck out bay leaves; discard. Let mixture cool slightly.
13. Working in batches, purée cauliflower mixture until very smooth. (I puréed the soup using an immersion blender in the pot.)
14. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
15. Just before serving, ladle soup into bowls; top with bacon and nuts and drizzle with oil, if desired. (I omitted the additional oil.)

Do Ahead: Soup can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill soup and bacon separately.

One Year Ago: Breakfast Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Muffins

Two Years Ago: Cheesy Pasta Casserole with Wild Mushrooms

Three Years Ago: Gemelli with Mushrooms & Ricotta

Four Years Ago: Saffron Pappardelle with Moroccan Spiced Shallot-Butter Sauce

Five Years Ago: Minestrone and Macaroni Baked in Yogurt (Arshda Madznov)

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cauliflower & Tomatoes

I have a couple family friendly comfort food pasta casseroles to share. In my house, this type of dish always seems to be the perfect meal in cold weather.

We recently enjoyed this one on a snowy evening- eating by candlelight. I thanked my lucky stars that it had finished baking before our power went out… hence the candlelight! 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Chris Morocco. I used diced tomatoes and substituted fontina for provolone. I suppose half and half could be substituted for some (or all) of the heavy cream, but I went for the full indulgence on this (dark and cold) occasion.

• 1 pound pasta, such as medium shell or tube pasta (I used Capunti pasta)
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
• 4 ounces fontina, coarsely grated
• 2 ounces extra sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
• 2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
• room-temperature butter or nonstick cooking oil spray (for pan)
• fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, or parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°, preferably on convection.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until about halfway cooked (it needs to be very firm at this stage so that it doesn’t overcook when baked). Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
3. Combine mozzarella, fontina, cheddar, Parmesan, cream, diced tomatoes, and reserved ½ cup pasta cooking liquid in a large bowl; mix to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Add cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to coat.
5. Grease a 3-qt. or 13x9x2″ baking dish with butter or cooking oil spray.
6. Scrape in pasta mixture and spread out into an even layer.
7. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake pasta until hot throughout and steaming when foil is lifted, 20–25 minutes.
8. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 425◦, preferably on convection.
9. Continue to bake pasta until sauce is bubbling and top is browned and crunchy in spots, 20–30 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, as desired.

Note: Pasta can be assembled 2 days ahead. Cover and chill until ready to bake.

One Year Ago: Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie

Two Years Ago: Oscar Night Waffles

Three Years Ago: Chicken Parmesan with Chicken Thighs

Four Years Ago: Chicken, Shrimp, & Clam Jambalaya

Five Years Ago:

• Margherita Pizza with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, & Basil
• Perfect Pizza Sauce