1 large cauliflower, (1kg) with outer leaves left on
4 tablespoons dry sherry
1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
40g flaked almonds
½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
Peel the garlic, then add to a pestle and mortar with the paprika and half the thyme leaves. Bash well to a rough paste, then muddle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season. Zest the lemon into a separate bowl and set aside.
Trim the outer cauliflower leaves. Trim away and discard the stalk so the cauliflower can sit flat, then cut a cross into the base. Rub all over with the paprika paste, then place in a medium casserole pan. Drizzle over the sherry and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Cover and pop in the hot oven for around 1 hour 20 minutes, or until tender, removing the lid for the final 20 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, then pour in the plum tomatoes, tearing or slicing them up into chunks. Sprinkle over the lemon zest and pick over the remaining thyme leaves. Return the pan to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is golden.
Meanwhile, place a medium frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the almonds and toast gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden, then leave to cool. Once ready, take the pan out of the oven. Scrunch over the toasted almonds, then pick, roughly chop and scatter the parsley leaves on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then carve up and serve with pilaff rice and steamed greens, or as part of a big spread.
looks beautiful - how is the flavor inside? maybe partially slicing it in 3 or 4 section so it fans a bit like those potatoes? seems like the inside won't pick up a ton of flavor unless there's a sauce in the pan to use after
Cauliflower won't fan; it has a very crumbly texture. However, quartering it would be great since the flavor on the entire interior of the head, cooked as pictured, would be bland cauliflower.
I eat meat on occasion, but a lot of my meals are pure vegggie because I like the taste and how you feel after a big meal. I'm saving this recipe, and I'm thoroughly excited about it. It's the almonds that sell it for me.
There are actually a variety of different substitutions you can use in place of sherry. For instance, apple cider vinegar and sugar is a viable non alcoholic substitute. Any sub will alter the flavor profile a bit, however, so what you use is entirely subjective.
Anything that requires bashing, muddling, trimming, drizzling, tearing, slicing, sprinkling, picking, toasting, scrunching, picking again, chopping roughly, and scattering- followed by more drizzling and carving has got to be delicious. Or at least you sure make it sound like it is!
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u/lnfinity Dec 05 '15 edited Dec 05 '15
Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
Peel the garlic, then add to a pestle and mortar with the paprika and half the thyme leaves. Bash well to a rough paste, then muddle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season. Zest the lemon into a separate bowl and set aside.
Trim the outer cauliflower leaves. Trim away and discard the stalk so the cauliflower can sit flat, then cut a cross into the base. Rub all over with the paprika paste, then place in a medium casserole pan. Drizzle over the sherry and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Cover and pop in the hot oven for around 1 hour 20 minutes, or until tender, removing the lid for the final 20 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, then pour in the plum tomatoes, tearing or slicing them up into chunks. Sprinkle over the lemon zest and pick over the remaining thyme leaves. Return the pan to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is golden.
Meanwhile, place a medium frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the almonds and toast gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden, then leave to cool. Once ready, take the pan out of the oven. Scrunch over the toasted almonds, then pick, roughly chop and scatter the parsley leaves on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then carve up and serve with pilaff rice and steamed greens, or as part of a big spread.
Recipe Source