cocoa roasted cauliflower & grape farro

i have been inspired

it seems the end of February was cauliflowers time in the spotlight

everywhere i turned the misunderstood cauli was being showcased in beautiful recipes

either you love cauliflower or just plain not a fan of the humble veggie

if you treat her right she will love you right back with amazing taste

court over at  The Fig Tree started up my most recent cauliflower craving with her Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta

this recipe was considered a bit of an experiment; i read an article on food pairing and it mentioned cauliflower and cocoa were a match made in heaven...i vaguely remember learning this in college

so i put this match in motion and bring to you cocoa roasted cauliflower & grape farro

cauliflower is tossed with a bit cocoa and canola oil and roasted with a handful of grapes

roasting the cauliflower brings out the natural sweetness

roasted grapes, well they are just plain good; i was hooked a few years back when i made a

roasted grape and rosemary foccacia

a bit of farro is cooked and then later tossed with the roasted grapes and cocoa cauliflower

farro is an old school grain; it was one of the first crops domesticated in the near east

this recipe takes a little effort, just a little

perfect for a lazy sunday dinner or late lunch

a quick mint vinaigrette is added, uniting all the flavors togetherthe mint brings a bit of brightness to the final dish

this is a unique dish, so know your crowd before serving it to a group

this was definitely not a justin kind of meal

he thinks fruit and nuts belong in the category of snacks & breakfast

and not in salads or sides

he's weird, i know



a healthy, yet different way of making cauliflower something to talk about

she's kind of a trendsetter you know

next time show some love to our friend miss cauliflower and pick her up at the store next time you pass her by then dress her up and go to town

Cocoa Roasted Cauliflower & Grape Farro

serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main

you will need:

1/2 cup farro

1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp salt

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 cup of red seedless grapes

2 tsp canola oil

3 sprigs of mint, stems removed & leaves roughly torn into small bits

3 parts olive oil

1 1/2 parts rice vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

assembly:

in a medium sauce pan over high heat bring water to a boil

add salt and farro, cover and reduce heat to low

simmer for 35-40 minutes or until farro is al dente

meanwhile pre heat oven to 400 degrees

lightly blanch or steam the cauliflower for 2-3 minutes

drain and dry the cauliflower well

toss with canola oil and cocoa powder until well coated

spread evenly onto a rimmed backing sheet, add grapes

roast for approximately 20 minutes, stirring half way through until golden and caramelized

while the cauliflower & grapes are roasting, prepare vinaigrette

place all ingredients in a jam jar, tightly seal with the lid and shake until well mixed

set aside until ready to use

once the cauliflower and grapes are done roasting, remove from oven & allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes

toss all ingredients in a large bowl saving some of the vinaigrette to drizzle on top of the final dish

enjoy!

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