Iron skillet roasted cauliflower with sesame soy glaze

Not too painful to get your veggies like this, huh?!

Iron skillet roasted cauliflower with sesame soy glaze

One head of Cauliflower

Safflower or vegetable oil

For glaze:

1/4 CSoy Sauce

1/3 C Olive oil (preferably pure, not extra virgin)

2 Tbs[Toasted sesame oil

1 tsp Sriracha

3 Tbsp Agave nectar

4 Garlic cloves, chopped 

Freshly cracked pepper

1/4 cup sesame seeds (preferably black but any will do)

First, preheat your oven to 400. 

Then, get a nice, large cast iron skillet nice and hot on the stovetop.  Use a bit of a heat resistant oil, such as safflower oil.  Cut a head of cauliflower with a large knife, chopping straight through to get flat edges on the pieces and keeping parts of the stem intact.  The more flat areas to brown against the skillet, the better the cauliflower will cook and the deeper the flavor of the finished dish will be.  

Put the cauliflower, blunt sides in contact with the bottom of the skillet.  Adjust heat to medium, as needed. Salt and leave to develop a crust.  Go start on glaze. 

Mix ingredients for glaze: Soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, agave nectar, sriracha, and garlic. 

Taste seasoning.  Add soy sauce if it doesn't seem salty enough.  Agave if it doesn't seem sweet enough.  More Sriracha for heat, etc.  I did not measure these out, I just work pouring ingredients into the bowl, so feel free to do it that way using these as rough guidelines and tasting your way to a perfect sauce.  (That is how a chef does it usually.)

As you mix up your glaze, turn the cauliflower as needed.  Don't mess with them too much, though, allowing each piece to brown (caramelize) slightly.  When they are nicely evenly brown but not necessarily cooked through, toss them with the marinade (in the same skillet) and finish them in the oven.  It should only take about  10 mins., to taste.  

Remove from oven and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.  This would be beautiful served on a  bed of arugula or some other green of your choice.  

Clockwise rom left: agave nectar, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, pure olive oil, garlic, with the mixed glaze.