I love the look of roasting a whole cauliflower. All it needs is some trimming, a little olive oil baste and some salt & pepper. This creates a stunning and simply delicious specimen! Eaten as is, it is perfectly tender crisp and yummy. A terrific side dish that is simple yet definitely worthy of oohs and ahhs at your dinner table.
I thought it would pair up nicely with a favorite Romesco Sauce, Suzanne Goin style. The recipe is a bit odd and takes a few steps, however it is not difficult. The end result is an amazing sauce that can be used in numerous ways. I not only ate it with the cauliflower, but also used it as a spread on a grilled cheese and apple sandwich that was delish! An unintended result of making the sauce was that it inspired me to bake a loaf of No-Knead Bread to use in the sauce recipe. Of course, I also used the bread for the sandwich. Then it got me to thinking, I could make my favorite Miso-French Onion Soup and you guessed it – I can use the no-knead bread for the croutons in the soup!
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Romesco Sauce
- 1 large head cauliflower
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2-3 ancho chiles*
- 1 tablespoons raw almonds
- 1 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts (or, you can rub their skins off once they are toasted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 slice country bread, crust removed – about 1-inch thick
- 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 small clove garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, optional
- 1/2 lemon, for juicing
- A splash of sherry vinegar (can’t find it? Use a mild wine or balsamic vinegar instead)
- Kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove and discard the seeds and stems from the chiles, then soak them in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain the chiles, and pat dry with paper towels. Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.
- Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, wait a moment (for it to heat) and fry the slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pan and cool. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
- Return the pan to the stove over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chiles and sauté for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often until the tomato juices have evaporated. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture in the pan.
- In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic and fried bread until the bread and nuts are coarsely ground. Add the chile-tomato mixture and process for 1 minute more. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil and process until you have a smooth purée. Don’t worry, the romesco will “break” (separate into solids and oil); this is normal. Add the parsley, (optional) season to taste with lemon juice, sherry vinegar and more salt, if you feel it needs it.
- Place a cast iron or oven safe frying pan in the 375°oven while preparing the cauliflower. Place another pan filled with 1-2″ water on the lowest rack in the oven below the pan.
- Trim the bottom of the cauliflower and remove all of the leaves being careful not to cut any of the florets. Using a small paring knife, cut a triangle piece out of the bottom core ensuring to keep the head of cauliflower intact. Rinse in cool water and then turn the cauliflower core side up in the sink. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and let it run through. With your hands moistened with oil, turn the cauliflower over and rub oil into the outside of the head. Season with salt and pepper.
- Carefully place the head of cauliflower in the hot pan in the oven, core side down. Roast for about 1 hour or until tender crisp when poked with the tip of a sharp knife. Baste the cauliflower with olive oil 1- or 2 times while roasting to get a nice brown color.
- Serve the cauliflower immediately with the Romesco sauce on the side.
- * A dried deep reddish brown chile pepper about 3 inches wide and 4 inches long with a sweet hot flavor. When fresh they are referred to as poblanos. Anchos are flat, wrinkled, and heart shaped. The ancho is the sweetest of the dried chiles; and is most commonly used in authentic Mexican cooking and is a staple in red chili and tamales.
(click here) for printable recipe