Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Pine Nuts, (Preserved) Lemon and Tahini
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Pine Nuts and (Preserved) Lemon with Lots of Tahini. A throw back that’s a family and friend favorite, I first shared this one a few years ago and it’s always on rotation with all of its variations. The secret to this addictive dish is a few simple steps. The cauliflower, with leaves intact, gets boiled in well salted water (sometimes, buttermilk) to get the magic started. The steam is then allowed to evaporate and the exterior patted dry before coating with olive oil and roasting as this will guarantee a golden exterior. Fresh lemon juice and zest bring on the brightness. For a little extra something, you may add preserved lemon. This one has it all.. The sweet punctuations of date enhance and marry all of the flavors for a crave worthy dish.
Notes-
•Be patient and allow the steam from the just boiled cauliflower to evaporate to ensure golden results.
•If your cauliflower has fresh leaves attached, don’t discard them. They cook up deliciously and add visual texture.
•if you don’t have za’atar, you may blend together any combination of oregano, thyme, sumac and/or sesame seeds.
•One option is to boil the cauliflower in buttermilk or a combination of buttermilk and water. I like to toss half preserved lemon in with this boiling mixture. It’s adds a subtle boost in flavor and makes the cauliflower even more tender. The buttermilk may seem to curdle a bit, this is fine.
•Sometimes I’ll whisk some hot honey or a pinch of (Calabrian) chili flakes into the tahini dressing so I’ve also included that option. The dates make this dish plenty sweet so be careful not to over sweeten the tahini. The heat from chilis is always welcome for me.
• I’ve also switched up the flavor profile and served this with crispy capers, parsley, currants and lemon.
Recipe:
Ingredients-
1 whole head of cauliflower, fresh leaves intact
Olive oil, for coating and tahini dressing
1-2 pinches Za’atar
1/3 cup tahini
1/4+ cup water
Zest and Juice of one Lemon
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp (Mike’s) hot honey or a pinch of chili flakes (optional)
1 tsp preserved lemon, peel finely chopped (optional)
3-4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped.
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), lightly pan toasted
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Flaky sea salt
Optional:
1/2 preserved lemon
2 cups- 1 quart Buttermilk (optional)
Method-
Line a baking sheet with a clean dish towel. Bring a pot of water (just enough to cover cauliflower or go about halfway up and add the buttermilk to cover) to a boil, salt well and cook cauliflower until just fork tender, about 12-15 mins. Remove, shaking off excess liquid, and place on prepared baking sheet. Allow steam to evaporate.
While cauliflower is releasing steam, preheat oven to 450F.
Pat cauliflower dry, rub with a generous amount of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and za’atar. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet until deeply golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning halfway through
While cauliflower is roasting, whisk together tahini and lemon juice. The tahini will seize up a bit. Add tepid water, 1 Tbs at a time to achieve desired consistency. Whisk in 2 Tbs of olive oil and about half of the parsley (hot honey or chili flakes, if using). Season with salt and pepper.
When cauliflower is golden, place under
the broiler for 2-3 minutes to crisp up edges, if needed, being careful not to allow it to burn.
Pour sone of the tahini dressing on a serving dish and set cauliflower on top. Generously cover with remaining tahini, dates, pine nuts and parsley. Finish with flaky sea salt, fresh ground pepper and lemon zest. If you have preserved lemon, finely chop some of the peel and add to your garnish. Enjoy!
