Cumin Dusted Roasted Cauliflower
with
Preserved Lemon Pine Nut Gastrique
While we're on the subject of white food, I thought it appropriate to feature cauliflower, though it also comes in other colors these days. It's packed with vitamins and fiber and really shines when roasted--the bits become tender and sweet in the heat. Choose a bright white head with tight florets, no brown spots and nice green leaves.
Preserved lemons are a somewhat strange and wonderful ingredient. Their flavor is completely unique--sour, but with a distinct tang. You can easily make them yourself (here's my recipe), but you'll need to do it about two weeks ahead. They are also becoming more readily available in stores: Fairway Market sells them loose in their olive department; Whole Foods carries them, too. In this recipe I used jarred preserved lemons that I purchased on our recent trip to Montréal.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and use a sharp knife to cut away the tough core from the bottom. Slice large florets from the center stem, keeping them mostly intact. Cut the florets in half vertically, in order to maximize their cooking surface.
In a large bowl, toss the florets with olive oil and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To add a bit of aromatic, sprinkle with ground cumin and add a few sprigs of marjoram to the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the florets over once midway to ensure even caramelization.
While the cauliflower roasts, make the Gastrique. Remove the pulp from the preserved lemon and finely dice the rind. In a medium bowl, combine the rind with the dried currants, chopped marjoram or oregano leaves, Sherry vinegar and honey. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and stir in pine nuts which have been gently toasted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven. The florets should be gorgeously golden brown.
Place the cauliflower on a platter and drizzle the Gastrique over all, making sure to evenly distribute the sauce. Garnish with more marjoram or oregano leaves and serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4:
1 medium head cauliflower
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sprigs of fresh marjoram or oregano
Gastrique:
1 tablespoon preserved lemon rind, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 teaspoons marjoram or oregano leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, gently toasted
marjoram or oregano leaves for garnish
Preserved lemons are a somewhat strange and wonderful ingredient. Their flavor is completely unique--sour, but with a distinct tang. You can easily make them yourself (here's my recipe), but you'll need to do it about two weeks ahead. They are also becoming more readily available in stores: Fairway Market sells them loose in their olive department; Whole Foods carries them, too. In this recipe I used jarred preserved lemons that I purchased on our recent trip to Montréal.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and use a sharp knife to cut away the tough core from the bottom. Slice large florets from the center stem, keeping them mostly intact. Cut the florets in half vertically, in order to maximize their cooking surface.
In a large bowl, toss the florets with olive oil and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To add a bit of aromatic, sprinkle with ground cumin and add a few sprigs of marjoram to the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the florets over once midway to ensure even caramelization.
While the cauliflower roasts, make the Gastrique. Remove the pulp from the preserved lemon and finely dice the rind. In a medium bowl, combine the rind with the dried currants, chopped marjoram or oregano leaves, Sherry vinegar and honey. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and stir in pine nuts which have been gently toasted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven. The florets should be gorgeously golden brown.
Place the cauliflower on a platter and drizzle the Gastrique over all, making sure to evenly distribute the sauce. Garnish with more marjoram or oregano leaves and serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4:
1 medium head cauliflower
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sprigs of fresh marjoram or oregano
Gastrique:
1 tablespoon preserved lemon rind, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 teaspoons marjoram or oregano leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, gently toasted
marjoram or oregano leaves for garnish
Penny, this is a divine take on roasted cauliflower, my favorite veg and roasted my favorite way of cooking. I love the dressing elements! Just made roasted red peppers and a whole red onion, pureed into soup. yum winter stuff.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the love, CP! I'm a big fan of soup and yours sounds delish!
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