The governor recently announced that 2017 was a record year for tourism in Florida, with the state welcoming an estimated 116.5 million visitors, a 3 percent increase over 2016. With 21 million of us here full-time, you can imagine how noticeable the influx of people is.

But as I sit outside on my porch this Sunday morning, listening to the intermittent buzz of traffic along Federal Highway and the chirping of a few birds, the hustle and bustle of high-season seems far away. Even this blue sky, without a single cloud, seems uninterrupted.

I can see why, especially in lieu of the never-ending winter up North, so many people flock to Florida each year. But, when mornings are this good – when I get to relax and read, when it’s cool in the shade and a subtle breeze sets the palm trees swaying – I can’t help but think I am on to something. Why wait to become a snowbird when I can live here full-time?

I started making this roasted cauliflower dish last fall and have been revisiting it as I become more and more interested in that white, crunchy, and largely tasteless vegetable. Precisely because it’s so anonymous, it’s proving to be a great base for so many dishes. (Did you see me use it as a substitute for pasta with meat sauce?) The browned butter and toasted seed combination stand in for the pop of flavor you might otherwise expect from grated Parmesan while the cilantro and lime juice balance the browned butter and give this side a fresh feeling.

For more on browned butter, why it’s a distinctly different taste, and why it should be part of your repertoire, check out this post for Brown Butter and Ginger Coffeecake.

The recipe was adapted slightly from Bon Appétit, December 2015.

Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Buttered Pepitas

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 head cauliflower, sliced in 1/2” “steaks”
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup raw shelled petitas, or pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro

Preheat oven to 450°F and coat a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of oil.

Trim cauliflower and slice through the head lengthwise, to create 1/2” steaks. Arrange steaks and any remaining pieces on baking sheet, drizzle with remaining tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast until dark brown on the bottom, 20-25 minutes. Flip, season the other side with salt and pepper and continue to roast until the underside is once again dark brown and crisp, 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan – ideally one that does not have a black bottom so you can better gauge the color change of the butter. Bring to a simmer, add the pepitas, and swirl consistently, until the butter is browned and giving off that nutty smell, 5 minutes, maybe a bit more. The butter may foam a bit during the process, making it hard to see the bottom of the pan, but you can always pull it off the heat for a quick second to better gauge how dark the butter has gotten. Once you have browned butter and toasted pepitas, remove from heat and add the red pepper flakes. Once the mixture has cooled, about 10 minutes, add cilantro and lime and season with salt and pepper.

Combine cauliflower with the browned butter pepita mix and serve.