A Frivolous Cauliflower
An immodest Ottolenghi-inspired vegetable dish with style and substance.
This week on Fare Well Friday: one of “my” most-requested vegetable dishes, which in an odd roundabout way has become mine.
Since encountering a Yotam Ottolenghi-inspired whole roasted cauliflower years ago, somewhere in the wilds of the internet, I’ve served the dish dozens of times - for family at the holidays, on a weeknight, for retreat guests. Every time, it’s a showstopper - and every time, my diners request the recipe. I finally went searching for the original and, although I found many variations on the theme, I turned up nothing that really resembles what’s now my standard version. So I suppose the recipe I present below is “mine” now, as inevitably happens when food preparations are handed down and along.
I love this cauliflower because it does such a glorious job of showcasing one of the most humble vegetables. Poor cauliflower gets made into “rice” and “pizza crust” and “mashed potatoes” and “buffalo wings”, but rarely gets its own moment in the sun. This presentation changes that completely, letting everyone’s favorite carb substitute have its supermodel moment.
A coaching client recently asked me if I had a nutrition reason for suggesting this particular recipe. And although cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower, have a wide array of health benefits, the real answer is no - I love this recipe simply because it’s beautiful and delicious. A slightly longer answer might circle back to yes - because if you can find it in your heart to love a cauliflower dish, I have confidence I just might sneak some kale into your lunch next.
All that said, this is more method than recipe. My proportions are probably a little different every time, and I hesitate to even give measurements - please feel welcome to play around to suit your taste and what’s in your refrigerator. Who knows - maybe after a dozen or so dinner parties you’ll find yourself sharing “your” roasted cauliflower recipe!
Whole Roasted Cauliflower a la Ottalenghi
Serves 2-4
1 whole cauliflower
2 T olive oil
Salt to taste
1/2 c tahini
2 T white miso
1-2 cloves garlic (fresh or roasted)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/2 c minced fresh parsley
1/4 c pomegranate seeds (here’s an Intractable on cutting a pomegranate, or just buy the seeds)
2 T pine nuts
1 oz (or more) crumbled feta
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Clean and steam the cauliflower: remove outer leaves and leave head intact. Insert steamer basket into a pot and heat an inch of water. Steam the cauliflower for about five minutes, until just tender.
Carefully remove the cauliflower to a baking sheet (or use a Pyrex/oven safe bowl that you will serve in.) Rub with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Bake the cauliflower at 425 until tender and browned, about 20 minutes.
While the cauliflower is baking, prepare the tahini sauce: add tahini, miso, minced or pressed garlic cloves, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Stir with a fork, adding warm water a little at a time until you reach a pourable consistency.
When the cauliflower is cooked, remove from the oven. Leave in dish or transfer to a serving plate.
Garnish lavishly: first, pour the tahini sauce on top. Then, sprinkle with parsley, pine nuts, feta, and pomegranate seeds.
Cut into halves or quarters and serve, sprinkling additional sauce/toppings on to your heart’s content.
Watch your dinner guests swoon over cruciferous vegetables.
Serving and substitution suggestions:
This whole sauce-and-topping combo also makes for a luxurious baked sweet potato, if you’re not feeling the cauliflower. Or, chop up a sweet potato (smaller is better here), toss in some olive oil and salt, and roast with the cauliflower!
Whole cauliflower too fussy? Roasted florets are just as tasty, and might even have an advantage in the cauliflower-to-topping ratio department.
This would be lovely served on a bed of a cooked whole grain like farro or bulgur.
Use any nut, herb, or cheese your heart desires in place of the ones suggested here. Pumpkin seeds (pictured below), walnuts, parmesan, goat cheese, chopped green onion, cilantro…
The pomegranate seeds are, I suppose, optional, but they do make the whole project look extremely festive. Which is kind of the point.
That’s all for this week, friends. Until Monday - Fare Well.
Below: audio version of this post + recipe PDF
