Roasted Cauliflower with Three Sauces
I was inspired by a recipe I saw inย Whitewater Cookโsย new cookbook. This roasted cauliflower head is a show-stopper and a modern take on roasted veggies. If youโre my age and used to preparing the same old veggie side dishes, this recipe will wow the young people around your table.ย ย
Any one of these sauces is delicious as a salad dressing, dipping sauce for raw or roasted veggies or slathered on a burger or sandwich. As one peek into my fridge shows, you can never have too many tasty sauce options!ย ย
These arenโt detailed baking recipes, so feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste.ย
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
1ย large head cauliflower
1 Tbsp. softened butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut off the outer cauliflower leaves. Trim a bit of the stalk, enough so that itโs fairly flat and the cauliflower can rest on it.ย ย
Fill a large pot with enough water so that you can submerge about ยพ of the cauliflower. Once the water is boiling, carefully lower the cauliflower into the water, stem side up. Return the water to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and place it stem side up in a colander to drain the excess water.ย ย
Place cauliflower, floret side up, on a parchment-lined roasting pan. Mix softened butter and olive oil together and brush on the whole cauliflower, sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt. Roast for 1 โ 1 ยฝ hours, occasionally basting with more of the butter/oil mixture thatโs collected in the pan. You want it cooked but not so soft that it all breaks apart into pieces.ย ย
Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, and then cut into wedges. Top with the desired topping.
Cilantro Sauce
Ingredients
1ย garlic clove
1 Tbsp. or so, minced shallot
1 cupย loosely packed, coarsely chopped, cilantro leaves and stems (do you know the stems are also delicious?)ย
1 ยฝ Tbsp. red wine vinegarย
1 Tbsp. lemon juiceย
1/4 cupย olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.
Green Sauce
Description
Donโt be scared of the anchovies. I promise that no one will identify them, and they give the sauce a fantastic I-canโt-identify-what-that-great-taste-is flavour. If you want to omit them, use a bit of Worcestershire sauce, which contains anchovies, or finely grated Parmesan cheese for an added โumamiโ boost (extra flavour).
Ingredients
2 ouncesย anchovy fillets, drained
ยฝ cupย chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Zest ofย oneย lemon
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or shallot
1 Tbsp. drained and rinsed capers
ยพ cupย mayonnaise
ยพ cupย plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper
As both the capers and anchovies are salty, you probably wonโt need added salt.
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor except for the mayo and yogurt, and puree until combined.ย Add mayonnaise and yogurt and pulse until combined. If you want more of a drizzle, cut back the yogurt by a few tablespoons, and substitute a bit of milk or cream.ย
Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
ยฝ cupย tahini, well stirred
6 Tbsp. ice water
ยผ cupย lemon juice (from 2 lemons), more to taste
ยฝ teaspoonย ground cumin
ยฝ teaspoonย salt, more to taste
1ย garlic clove
OPTIONAL:
1 tspย sesame oil
1 tspย soya sauceย
A handful of pomegranate seeds for garnish.ย
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and 6 tablespoons of water until smooth and emulsified. Use a rasp grater to grate the garlic into the bowl. Stir, taste and adjust salt and lemon as needed.ย
If you choose to add one or both of the optional ingredients, taste it before and after adding them. Youโll notice how just a little bit of something extra can add that โsomething extraโ flavour!ย
