The roasted spring vegetables is a version of Ottolenghi’s whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce inspired by the multi-color cauliflowers I’ve found lately in the market. I know — how can spring be here when we’ve hardly seen winter. What happens to the snow days when schools are closed? I miss the stillness of the blanket of wintry white everywhere. So still and quiet, you can hear your heartbeats and the crunch under your boots as you walk outside.
Well, be it snow or coronavirus, forget about them, at least for a second or so. (Be informed: read this on what we must do as a community to battle the pandemic.) Let’s forge ahead and start cooking. See this amazing roasted spring vegetables in all its color and glory.
The methods of cooking the whole roasted cauliflower and making the tahini sauce are the same as the original recipe. However, I don’t roast the yellow and purple cauliflowers because I want to keep them fresh and brilliant. Meanwhile, I roast the other vegetables: mini bell peppers, brussel sprouts, red onion and green chile pepper on separate trays. I choose these for a punch of bright spring vibe. You can use other vegetables if you like.
Tahini sauce is easy to mix together, either by hand or in a food processor. If you don’t have tahini (gluten-free), Greek yogurt or sour cream can do the trick. A splash of creamy sauce with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper against the charred whole cauliflower is a perfect combination. The picture is worth a thousand words!
Season other veggies with salt, pepper and olive oil
Roasted Spring Vegetables with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large white cauliflower (2 3/4 lb/1.3 kg)
- handful of yellow and purple cauliflower florets
- handful of mini bell pepper
- handful of brussels sprouts
- one green chili pepper, I used jalapeno
- one small red pepper, cut lengthwise into eight pieces
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Coarse sea salt
- TAHINI SAUCE:
- 1/4 cup/ 80g tahini
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup/ 80ml warm water
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
Using a pair of scissors, lightly trim the leaves at the top of the cauliflower, so that about 2 inches/5 cm of the actual cauliflower head is exposed.
Fill a pan (large enough to fit the whole cauliflower) three-quarters full of salty water. Bring to a boil and carefully lower in the cauliflower exposed head down: don’t worry if the base sticks out a little. Bring back to a boil, cook for six minutes, then transfer the cauliflower to a colander, exposed head down. Set aside for 10 minutes, to drain and cool.
Repeat the same with the yellow and purple cauliflower for a few minutes. Parboil the florets long enough to soften them, but short enough so their color remains brilliant and fresh. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Mix the butter with the oil. Put the head of cauliflower (not the florets) stem side down in a medium baking tray and spread the butter mix all over the white flower. Sprinkle over a teaspoon and a quarter of salt, and roast for an hour and a half to two hours, basting the cauliflower with the buttery juices five or six times during cooking. The cauliflower is done when it’s super-tender and a dark golden-brown, and the leaves are crisp and charred. Remove from the oven.
Mix oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss in the mini bell peppers, brussel sprouts, red onion and green chili pepper. Transfer and spread them out on a baking tray. Roast for about 45 minutes until they turn slightly brown on the edges.
Make the Tahini Sauce:
To make by hand, thoroughly whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water and garlic in a bowl – you’re aiming for a creamy, smooth texture. If it’s too thick, add more water. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
If using a food processor or a blender, put the tahini with the garlic and seasoning and blitz for about a minute until the sauce is thickened. Pour in the water, lemon juice and sea salt and blitz until you have a smooth sauce with the consistency of double cream – add a little more water if it is too thick. This will keep in the fridge for three days.
Notes
Adapted from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi
3 Comments
Roasted Whole Cauliflower | Green Tahini Sauce - Ever Open Sauce
March 15, 2020 at 5:24 pm[…] of roasting cauliflower whole, you might be interested in the version that includes multi-colored cauliflowers with other spring […]
Kim Tracy
March 29, 2020 at 4:38 pmI am in love with your beautiful cauliflower shots! I believe they could make anyone a cauliflower lover. I have got to try my hand at roasting a whole cauliflower and I just may do that this week since I have one on hand. I am beyond impressed with this dish. All the beautiful color on the cauliflower. Its perfection!
Avocado, Quinoa and Fava Bean Salad | Ottolenghi's Plenty - Ever Open Sauce
March 21, 2022 at 3:18 pm[…] of vegetables. The two methods I rely on consistently have been a slow stew with a parchment lid or roasting them in the oven. Glad to bring you a spring salad that is either stewed or […]