Im half Armenian but I don’t make so many Armenian recipes. A lot of them contain meat, lots of dairy and butter.

But, if you do go searching like I did, you will find really healthy recipes. Many of them fit the Mediterranean diet.

Im so proud of this recipe because it’s Armenian, tasty and plant-based. It’s a nice celebratory dish that you can scoop up with pita. I like adding a little extra lemon on top before serving.

Hope you enjoy it!

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Adapted from The late Armenian cookbook author Arto der Haroutunian,

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons raisins (not golden)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (4 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups cherry tomatoes
Pinch of crushed red pepper, sumac, and/or paprika (I used them all)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with water; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Add the cauliflower and sugar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the cauliflower starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to moderate and cook until the cauliflower is lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper, season with salt and black pepper and cook until the tomatoes have begun to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the raisins to the cauliflower, along with 1/4 cup hot water, the pine nuts and chopped garlic. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the cauliflower for about 30 minutes, until it is very tender.
Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve the cauliflower warm.