1 head cauliflower
1 pound fresh brussels sprouts
8 ounces uncooked guanciale*, diced
1 medium shallot, minced
1 tablespoon "Grade B" maple syrup**
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
cayenne pepper
lemon juice
ground cumin
salt
*Guanciale is pork jowl cured with fennel seed and other spices and has more depth of flavor than pancetta, but pancetta can be used in its place. Bacon is not recommended as the smokiness can overpower other flavors.
**Grade B maple syrup is thicker and more robust in flavor than Grade A. It's also less expensive, but the flavor and ability to coat are what's important here.
Start with the head of cauliflower, breaking it down into bite-sized florets and cutting the core into slightly smaller pieces so that they cook at a similar rate. For the brussels sprouts, cut the rough stem end and shell outer leaves before halving. Rinse and allow to dry thoroughly.
In a skillet, preferably not non-stick to develop a flavorful fond, cook guanciale/pancetta over medium-low heat until browned and crispy, then remove solids and fat from pan, reserving both separately.
Reduce heat to low and add the minced shallot to any fat that didn't drip from the pan, cooking until softened and translucent, approximately five minutes, and working any remaining brown bits of pork loose from the pan. Remove and reserve shallots and brown bits.
Preheat oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower and sprouts in just enough of the reserved pork fat to ensure everything is coated. Any fat that remains is liquid gold (especially if guanciale was used) and can be used in other dishes.
Place coated vegetables onto the baking sheet in a single layer, uncrowded (this is important; do this in batches if your baking sheet isn't big enough) with cut side of sprouts facing up and roast for 20 minutes.
Scrape the inside of the bowl to collect any remaining fat (anything that filmed the bowl during tossing; there's no need to add more of the reserved fat) and add shallots, maple syrup, coriander, cayenne pepper (just a pinch to add a subtle background kick rather than make the dish spicy) and just a splash of lemon juice to thin the syrup slightly and add some brightness, and then wisk to combine.
Return roasted vegetables to bowl and toss with browned guanciale/pancetta so that everything gets treated to the maple-shallot dressing. Transfer to serving platter.
In a dry skillet, toast sliced almonds over medium heat until golden brown and add enough salt and cumin to coat while still hot so that the seasoning sticks, and sprinkle them over the roasted, dressed vegetables and porky goodness.
I hope I addressed everything, since I've never actually written the cooking instructions down.
