Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with Honey-Tahini
Nothing to see here. Just a totally new concept that you’ve never seen before. There’s absolutely nothing popping up in your instafeed like it these days - I guarantee it. And I’m certainly not posting a trendy, overexposed quarantine dish like sourdough from Week 3 and banana bread back from Week 6. Who would be that basic? Not meeeeee...
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Ok I’M TOTALLY BASIC and jumped on the Whole Roasted Cauliflower bandwagon but who can blame me? It’s easy. It’s delicious. It requires very few ingredients. And the main ingredient is like the Beyoncé of vegetables so cut me a break!
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Of course, I’m gonna plead my case that this version is totally different (it is.) And I’ve put my own spin on it (hello, spiced harissa glaze). And I promise you’ve never seen any other whole roasted cauliflower like MINE. (even with the blanket of honey-tahini on top). I’ll take it further and throw in the requisite “this dish totally reminds me of my 40th birthday trip to Paris...where my husband and I shared a cauliflower just like it at Miznon in Paris as we gazed into each other’s eyes lovingly.” But y’all will see right through that BS.
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But the truth is: whole roasted cauli is popular on our feeds because it’s delicious. And different. And healthy. And pretty. And easy. And we all really need to feel connected to each other right now. And if this Group Cook Mentality is making us feel like we’re participating in one giant Instahug of people who are all getting joy from cooking a popular food, THEN I’M ALL IN. Brb, gotta make banana bread.
STEP BY STEP PICTURES:
WHOLE ROASTED HARISSA CAULIFLOWER WITH HONEY-TAHINI SAUCE
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower, left whole with leaves on
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons mild harissa paste (I like the brand Mina)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons tahini
- ¼ cup cold water, plus more if needed to thin out
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey or agave
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons crushed toasted pine nuts (any nut will work)
- Warm pita or naan
Instructions:
- If your cauliflower doesn’t sit flat when placed on a counter, trim the stem so it doesn’t tip. Bring a large stock pot filled with 1 gallon of water to a boil (aka 4 quarts or 16 cups, whichever measurement floats your boat). Place the head of cauliflower face down in the boiling water and cook for about 12 minutes. Remove, pat dry and place in an oven safe pan. I use a cast iron, but a sheet tray or large saute pan will work.
- In a small bowl, combine harissa, olive oil, cumin, sumac & salt. Mix well.
- Rub glaze all over the surface of the cauliflower, and don’t ignore the undersides. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the surface is well browned.
- Meanwhile, place all ingredients in a food process and whip until emulsified. This sauce is supposed to be thin enough to easily pour over the top, but not runny. Tahini soaks up liquid and turns very thick as it sits, so you may need to add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin it out. Otherwise, it will turn into sludge over time. No bueno. This is especially true when placed in the refrigerator. Don’t overthink it, just thin it out if you need to.
- Once the cauliflower is done, transfer to a serving plate, pour as much Honey-Tahini as you like over the top and garnish with parsley and chopped pine nuts. Serve with a steak knife down the middle for easy sharing. Stuff into a warmed pita, on top of naan or on its own.