Cauliflower takes well to roasting: All those
starchy crevices get nutty and sweet and come into their own—catching oils,
crisping, browning, basking.But here’s a twist: You don’t even need to cut it into florets first. Like a chicken, a cauliflower is roastable by nature.
It’s not quite as simple as chucking it in the oven
as-is. If you poach your cauliflower in a winey, punchy broth first, as chef
Alon Shaya does, you can control the seasoning all the way to the core. At
Shaya’s New Orleans restaurant, Domenica, this means cooking sous
vide, then in an 800°F (425°C) pizza oven. At home, it’s a big pot and whatever
oven came in your wall.
You might think the thing would have a hard time
browning after such a thorough soak, but the small amounts of olive oil and
butter in the poaching liquid cling to all the cauliflower’s folds and curves,
which don’t hesitate to brown and crackle up in a hot oven.
While the cauliflower is simmering or roasting away
(or even the day before), you can whip up the labneh-like sauce. When you’re
ready to serve, all that’s left is to tip over some olive oil and salt, and
carve the cauliflower into wedges or break it off limb by limb.
Serves 4 to 6
WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE
4 ounces (115g) fresh goat
cheese
3 ounces (85g) cream
cheese
3 ounces (85g) feta
cheese
⅓ cup (80ml) heavy
cream
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
for serving
Sea salt
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
2½ cups (590ml) dry white
wine
⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil, plus more
for serving
¼ cup (35g) kosher
salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bay leaf
1 whole head cauliflower, stem
trimmed and leaves removed
Coarse sea salt, for
serving
1 To make the whipped goat
cheese, blend the goat cheese, cream cheese, feta, cream, and 2
tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until smooth; season with sea salt.
Transfer the whipped goat cheese to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
The whipped goat cheese can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill in the
refrigerator.
2 To make the cauliflower,
preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
3 Bring the wine, oil, salt, lemon juice, butter, red
pepper flakes, sugar, bay leaf, and 8 cups (1.9L) water to a boil in a large
pot. Carefully lower in the cauliflower, reduce the heat, and simmer, turning
occasionally, until a knife easily inserts into center, 15 to 20 minutes. Using
two slotted spoons or a mesh strainer or spider, transfer the cauliflower to a
rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, draining well.
4 Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the
cauliflower is brown all over, 30 to 40 minutes.
5 Transfer the cauliflower to a plate. Drizzle with
oil; sprinkle with salt. Serve with the whipped goat cheese.
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