This whole roasted cauliflower is not only delicious, but it's also an excellent centre piece for a vegan or vegetarian Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year or Easter feast. The cauli is smothered in a spicy turmeric tahini sauce prior to roasting and served with more of the sauce and caramelised dates. It's really quite easy to prepare and also makes a splendid side dish.
1plump clove of garlicor two smaller ones - grated or minced
1tspturmeric
1tspground cumin
½tspsea salt
1tspchilli sauce(optional) or use 1 tsp smoked paprika
6-8tbsphot water
Instructions
Discard any outer leaves of the cauliflower that are past their best. Trim the main stalk to create a flat base so that the it stands upright without falling over. Try to keep as many of the green leaves as possible.
1 medium sized cauliflower
Bring 2-3 cm (about 1 inch) of water to the boil in a large deep saucepan. Add a pinch of salt.
1 pinch sea salt
Place the cauliflower in the pan with the stem on the bottom. Cover with a lid and steam for fifteen to twenty minutes or until a knife slides into the stalk with little resistance. The water needs to boil gently whilst the cauli is cooking.
Meanwhile, fry the dates in the oil over a medium heat for two minutes. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to overcook them or they will become hard like toffee.
8 deglat noor dates, 1 tbsp olive oil
Set the oven to 220℃ (200℃ fan, 425℉, Gas 7).
Carefully transfer the cauli to a colander, keeping the base on the bottom, and allow it to steam dry for ten minutes.
Meanwhile make the tahini sauce. Place the tahini into a medium sized mixing bowl. Grate in the garlic and lemon zest. Add the salt, spices and hot sauce, if using. Give a brief stir, then squeeze in the lemon juice from just one half and stir again.
Add the warm water, a little at a time, whisking as you go until the sauce has the consistency of double cream. Taste test and add a little more lemon juice or hot sauce if you think it needs it.
6-8 tbsp hot water
Try to squeeze as many date slices as you can into any crevices you find in the cauliflower, both on top and underneath.
Turn the cauliflower upside down and drizzle some tahini sauce into any cracks or crevices. Brush the florets with the sauce to cover completely.
Line a medium sized roasting tray or ovenproof dish with baking paper. This stops the pan getting encrusted and makes cleaning up later on easier. Transfer the cauli, stem side down, into the roasting pan.
Again drizzle some of the sauce into any crevices on top. Use a fork to gently prise the florets apart. Brush the top and sides with the sauce so that everything is covered.
Roast in the oven on the middle shelf for about 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender all over and the top golden and bronzed in places. Brush the top with a little more sauce after the first fifteen minutes.
Transfer to a serving plate and scatter with chopped parsley, a sprinkling of dukkah and fresh pomegranate seeds, if liked.
Slice into steaks and serve with any leftover dates and the remaining tahini sauce.
Notes
Serves four as a main course and six to eight as a side.To air fry, set the air fryer to 200℃ (392℉) and "fry" for twenty five minutes, but check to see if it's ready after twenty. It shouldn't need as long as in an oven.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.