Grilled Cauliflower & Broccoli with Cilantro Pesto

Cauliflower is not really a favorite of many people. It tastes a bit bland and can sometimes be difficult to cook and handle.

There are many ways to prepare it in Indian cuisine but then it involves a lot of spices, tomato puree and sometimes deep frying - not necessarily a healthy way of cooking it.

This recipe uses very less oil and pretty much keeps its shape an flavor intact, but since I paired the grilled florets with the cilantro pesto, they became very flavorful.

This recipe is perfect for all the vegetarians on a day when there is a barbecue party.

Grilled food is mostly meat oriented and most of the time poor vegetarians are stuck with corn on the cob (speaking from personal experience). Now you know what you can make for all your vegetarian friends when throwing a BBQ party.

You can also serve these grilled cauliflower and broccoli florets as a salad. Just throw it in a bowl and toss with some of the cilantro pesto. It is a healthy and a flavorful meal for a hot summer day!

Serving 3 to 4 people

cooking time 1 hour

Things you will need:

For Cilantro Pesto

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

few cloves garlic

salt and pepper

In a blender add all the ingredients except for oil and mix to combine. Scrape the sides, add the olive oil and mix till it all comes together as a smooth puree. If needed, add very little water at a time to bring pesto to the right consistency.

For the Cauliflower and Broccoli

1 head cauliflower

1 head broccoli

olive oil to brush over the veggies

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven at 350F. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into bite size pieces. Arrange the veggies onto a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt (but don’t get carried away as there is salt in the pesto as well). Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or till the veggies are cooked through and are light brown. Remove from the oven and toss with some cilantro pesto. Serve hot or at room temperature. You can add more veggies to the mix like mushroom, potatoes or bell peppers.