Spice-Infused Whole Roasted
Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese or Lemon Tahini Sauce
Serves: 6
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| Whipped cheese....or you can make the Lemon Tahini Sauce for lower cal option (also below) |
I quickly tore this recipe out of Bon Appetit,
without even glancing at the ingredients or method of cooking, based on the
picture alone. It originates from a fabulous New Orleans restaurant, Domenica,
of the famed Besh restaurant group. The picture looked that great. Then, like
too often in this hectic life, it was filed away under “someday”. Today was that day. Good thing for me cauliflower is
pretty much available year round. Now I have done it….twice actually and soon
to be three or four more times.
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| Cauliflower as art! |
I have been a huge fan of roasted cauliflower
ever since I first tried it. There is just something about roasted
cauliflower…roasting it takes something that is pretty boring and transforms it
into something that is extraordinary. Even in its simplest form as posted July
23, 2012 – Oven Roasted Cauliflower – it is ridiculously addictive. (http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2012/07/oven-roasted-cauliflower.html) I could easily chow down on a bowl of it rather than
popcorn while watching a movie. Really. So it comes to the only real question,
why stop with olive oil, salt and pepper when you could add any number of
flavors or seasonings? The basic idea is to precook in a seasoned flavor-packed
poaching liquid, which infuses it with flavor, roast it and then serve it alone
or a myriad of sauces. On this culinary trip, I made a whipped cheese sauce.
2½
C dry white wine
½
C olive oil, divided
¼
C kosher salt
3
Tb fresh lemon juice
2
Tb unsalted butter
1
Tb crushed red pepper flakes
1
Tb sugar
1
bay leaf
8
C water
1
large head cauliflower, leaves removed
2 oz.
fresh goat cheese
1½
oz. cream cheese
1½
oz. feta cheese
¼
C heavy cream
Coarse
sea salt for serving
Preheat oven to 475 degree F. Bring wine, 1/3 C olive oil, kosher salt, lemon juice, butter, red pepper flakes,
sugar, bay leaf and 8 C water to a boil in a large pot. Add cauliflower,
reduce heat, and simmer, turning occasionally, until knife easily inserts into
center, 15-20 minutes.
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| Cauliflower after boiling |
Using two slotted spoons, transfer cauliflower
to a rimmed baking sheet or pan, draining well. Roast the cauliflower, rotating
sheet halfway through, until brown all over, 30-40 minutes.
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| Cheeses for the cauliflower...soon to be whipped |
While cauliflower is roasting, blend goat cheese, cream cheese, feta, heavy
cream and 2 Tb olive oil in a food processor until smooth; season with sea
salt. Transfer whipped cheese to a serving bowl. Whipped cheese can be made 1
day ahead. Cover. Chill. Serve at room temperature. Drizzle with olive oil just before serving.
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| Lemon Tahini Sauce |
Transfer cauliflower to a plate. Drizzle with
olive oil; sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with whipped cheese and enjoy, enjoy,
enjoy!
The cauliflower is wonderful alone. But if
looking for alternatives, try a sprinkling of zatar with yogurt, or cheddar
cheese sauce, or mixture of yogurt and feta. Wouldn’t this be great with a Thai
peanut sauce!?!
I am particularly found of tahini – and I
committed in earlier blogs to bring more uses for tahini to you. Try this with
roasted cauliflower. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a small saucepan
over medium heat. Sauté 2 tsp garlic
in the oil 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in 3 Tb tahini, 3Tb fresh
lemon juice, or more to taste, 6 Tb water and salt (to taste). Simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes. Remove
from heat, put thru a blender if you need to smooth it out, sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted sesame seeds and serve alongside cauliflower. Look for
another tahini recipe: Roasted eggplant with Goat cheese, tahini & pine
nuts (http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2013/07/roasted-eggplant-with-goat-cheese.html).
However you serve the whole roasted cauliflower,
it will delight you and your guests.
Bon Appetit!
Larue
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