Whole Roasted Cauliflower
This was inspired by one of my favorite restaurants - Porfirios - in Cancun, You wouldn't expect to find a great place like that in place like Cancun because it's well, Cancun. But there it is, sitting along the bay opposite the rows of hotels. I discovered it in 2017 while spending a little R&R in the sun. It was about a 500m walk from my hotel and seemed like it might be a nice night out. Given one of use was recovering from a broken pelvis and needed a cane, the walk, though short, was painful. Despite that hurdle, the meal was so good that evening, that we returned, making that (painful) walk again and again.
The best thing about Porfirios is the food. The second best is the view, and the third best is the service. Really just top-notch all around. But let's focus on the food - in particular, the roasted cauliflower with pistachios. Perfectly roasted and covered with chopped pistachios, it inspired me to come up with variations. To date, topping it with homemade salsa has taken the prize but there are a few other variations to explore:
Ingredients
- One whole medium to large head of cauliflower - organic, naturally, is the best here
- Olive oil - use something rich in flavor
- Fresh garlic
- Salt
Begin by pouring a bit of olive oil into a bowl large enough to fit the whole head of cauliflower. Add a pinch or two of salt. Next, using a micro-planer, grate the garlic. Depending on the size of the cauliflower you'll need 4 - 8 cloves but you really can't overdo it. Whisk the oil, salt, and garlic and let sit.
Turn the cauliflower over and carefully cut through the leafy greens and stem until you've hollowed out, or cored, the cauliflower a few inches. Be careful not to cut so deep that the head comes apart, you want it to stay intact. At this point, you should be able to flip the cauliflower back over and it should rest nicely on a cutting board. It it doesn't, trim the bottom so it lays flat.
Using disposable kitchen gloves, put the cauliflower into the oil and rub the oil into the head. Be sure to coat the head evenly and throughout the nooks and crannies to include the underside. Make sure the garlic is distributed throughout. Roast in an oven at 375 or an air-fryer checking throughout for doneness. It will take 25 (air-fryer) to 45 minutes (oven).
While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the salsa:
Ingredients:
- Cilantro
- Tomatoes
- Tomatillos
- Black beans (canned is fine)
- Corn kernels (canned works here)
- Onion (white, red, sweet, etc.)
- Limes
Chop the tomatoes and tomatillos (I use one Roma tomato for one small tomatillo). I also don’t peel the tomatoes. Instead, I slice off an end, cut in half, use a knife to “core” the tomato, remove the seeds, and then dice it. Chop about ½ a medium onion and ¼ cup of cilantro. Add about a cup of black beans and a cup of corn. Mix together and squeeze in a lime. Set aside while the cauliflower finishes.
Once the cauliflower is done (a sharp knife should slide easily into the head) remove from the roasting pan and place on your serving plate. Using a paring knife, cut a tapered hole about 2 inches deep and 2 inches wide at the top (more like an inverted cone) in the cauliflower. Fill the hole with the salsa and continue as the salsa spills over the sides onto the plate. Serve at once with a steak knife for added irony.
I've explored other variations for the topping as well including:
- Chopped roasted pistachios (ala Porfirios)
- Basil pesto
- Balsamic vingar glaze
- Tomato almond pesto
[For this variations there's no need to cut the hole in the top after roasting.]
The key to this dish is the cauliflower. Despite the variety of salsas, dressing, etc. that you can use, the roasted cauliflower should remain the star - it has all the flavor it needs!
