This recipe features a whole head of cauliflower boiled until tender then roasted until charred. Its burnished exterior is doused with Aaji’s Spicy Tomato Lonsa and served with a creamy tahini sauce. It’s spicy, tangy, and creamy, a delicious combination sure to impress your family and friends!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

Salt

1 small head cauliflower, about 1 - 1 ½ pounds

1 lemon

1/4 cup fresh mint or parsley, finely minced and divided

1 clove garlic, finely grated

1/2 cup tahini paste 

2 - 3 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Flaky salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 container Aaji’s Spicy Tomato Lonsa

Process:

Prep the oven: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 550℉ (or as high as your oven will allow).

Bring the water to a boil: Fill a large stock pot with enough water to submerge the cauliflower. Season generously with salt (it should taste well-seasoned, like a soup!), and bring to a boil.

Do some prep: Keeping the leaves intact, trim the stem of 1 small head cauliflower as needed so that it stands completely upright. Zest the lemon, then cut it in half. Juice one half and cut the remaining half into wedges for serving.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, half of the herbs, and the grated garlic. Stir in the tahini paste. Whisk until combined. The mixture may seize or thicken, which is normal. Continue whisking as you slowly pour in enough cold water to smooth out the sauce. Season with salt to taste and set aside. 

Cook the cauliflower: Meanwhile, add the cauliflower to the boiling water, and cook for 8 - 12 minutes until a fork inserted into the center of the head meets very little resistance. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the cauliflower, allow any excess water to drain, then place stem side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower has cooled slightly and is dry to the touch. Then, coat the head with the olive oil and a generous amount of flaky salt.

Make the glaze: While the cauliflower cools, make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with the spicy tomato lonsa. Set aside. 

Bake: Bake cauliflower for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown all over with a few charred spots speckled throughout. Brush the head with about half of the lonsa mixture, or as much needed to fully cover it. Remove from the oven and top with flaky salt. Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve: Dollop and spread the tahini on a serving plate. Using a large, sturdy metal spatula, carefully set the cauliflower atop the sauce. Garnish with the remaining herbs, and serve warm alongside the remaining lonsa and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

always small batch, always with love

always small batch, always with love