Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Heat a small pot of water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the cauliflower. Cut out and discard the core; cut the head into small pieces. Place on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 23 to 25 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the cauliflower roasts, in a small saucepan, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Cover and set aside in a warm place.

While the rice cooks, carefully add the eggs to the pot of boiling water; cook for exactly 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to 1 minute to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel the cooked eggs.

While the eggs cook, wash and dry the remaining fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the pepper; thinly slice lengthwise. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Cut off and discard the root end of the bok choy. Roughly chop the leaves and stems, keeping them separate. In a bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, vinegar, honey (kneading the packet before opening), sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of water, and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be.

While the cauliflower continues to roast, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ginger, pepper, white bottoms of the scallions, and bok choy stems; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the bok choy leaves; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Turn off the heat.

Add the roasted cauliflower and sauce to the pan of cooked vegetables. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and the vegetables are coated. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cooked rice among 4 dishes. Top with the finished vegetables and peeled eggs; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the peanuts and green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!