Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

I was drawn to this PureWow recipe because of the beautiful color and flavors the spices would bring to cauliflower.  I've had this recipe on my "to try" list for several months and finally tried it last week.

PureWow's Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower

I followed the recipe exactly and man, was I disappointed.  I roasted for 40 minutes at 400°, and the crust did not achieve the same dark orange color as pictured on the PureWow site.  I don't think I would have gotten the same color even if I roasted it for longer...a lot longer.  Instead, mine came out an unappealing dark tan color.  Maybe I used too much of the marinade (about a third), but the recipe says to "dunk" and "smear" it on which does not imply a light coating.

Besides the unappealing color, I did not enjoy the flavors and texture of the crust.  I use chili powder, cumin, and curry powder regularly.  But I think the amount of these spices was too much.  The moisture of the Greek yogurt cooks out leaving a crumbly, dry texture that I didn't find pleasant.

The recipe wastes 1-1/2 cups of good Greek yogurt (and spices).  I don't understand why the recipe wasn't written with smaller proportions.  I used about a third of the marinade, which was probably too much, and a cup was still leftover.  The recipe suggests using the leftover marinade on meat, fish or other veggies, but it is so over-spiced that I wouldn't want to eat it on anything else.

Here's how my dish came out.  See the PureWow link above for comparison.

My Rating (out of 5): 1

Shepherd's Pie

As the weather gets colder, I start to crave comforting foods like shepherd's pie.  A few years ago, I found this Anne Burrell recipe on Food Network's site when I was in the mood for shepherd's pie.  I had never made shepherd's pie before and haven't had it often in restaurants, so I thought I'd try to make it at home.

Shepherd's Pie from Anne Burrell

The leeks in this dish really add flavor and I wouldn't want to substitute for onions here.  The red wine and slow cooking develop rich flavors and a nice thick stew/filling for the pie.  And using Yukon gold potatoes helps make the mashed potatoes creamy.  This is a really great recipe and I've stuck with it to make shepherd's pie.

The recipe calls for lamb shoulder or leg, and I've made it with each on different occasions.  Both were great for the dish, but if I had to choose, I prefer shoulder a little more because I found it more tender.  I also made this with beef shoulder for friends who didn't like lamb and it turned out just as good.  So beef is a great way to keep this dish lower cost.

It does take a few hours to make so it's not for a quick dinner.

My Rating (out of 5): 5