WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH PICKLED SHALLOTS & MINT
A stand out side dish in presentation and flavor composition. Something about serving a whole head of cauliflower rather than florets makes it much more interesting and beautiful.
Simmering in rich bone broth or vegetable broth before roasting not only boosts the nutritional content, but maximizes flavor as it absorbs into the cauliflower. For the pickled shallots, use my recipe for Quick Pickled Shallots or simply cover thinly sliced shallots or red onions with vinegar and place in the refrigerator until the cauliflower is ready to plate.
Serves 4-6
YOU WILL NEED
4 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable broth
1 head cauliflower, large leaves removed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup non dairy ricotta or goat cheese
¼ cup nondairy milk
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ cup pickled shallots or onions
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
In a medium saucepan, bring the bone broth to a simmer. Place the cauliflower and garlic cloves in the saucepan and cover to simmer until the cauliflower can be easily punctured with a butter knife, about 15 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and garlic from the saucepan, letting the broth drip off before placing on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the garlic cloves on top on the head of cauliflower using a fork to press them in to any crevices, spreading them in if desired. Drizzle avocado oil over the top and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt. Place the baking sheet of cauliflower into the oven to roast until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, nondairy milk, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, mint and pickled onions over the cauliflower and drizzle the ricotta mixture over the top. Serve right away.