veggie vogue

The locavore movement is in full bloom and while many chefs focus on nose-to-tail cooking, others are reveling in the glorification of vegetables. Cauliflower–roasted cauliflower, in particular–is the veggie du moment. And so, to lend my voice to the conversation, here is my spin. The roasting part is pretty straight forward: the florets are tossed in oil and seasoning and cooked in a hot oven until caramelized and golden. The dressing I concocted is a little more exotic: a sweet and sour combo that blends dried currants, fragrant marjoram, toasty pine nuts and Sherry vinegar with the unusual zing of preserved lemon. The result is a wonderful balance of flavors and textures which beautifully showcases this vegetable VIP.

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower with
Preserved Lemon Pine Nut Gastrique

While we’re on the subject of white food, I thought it appropriate to feature cauliflower, though it also comes in other colors these days. It’s packed with vitamins and fiber and really shines when roasted–the bits become tender and sweet in the heat. Choose a bright white head with tight florets, no brown spots and nice green leaves.


Preserved lemons are a somewhat strange and wonderful ingredient. Their flavor is completely unique–sour, but with a distinct tang. You can easily make them yourself (here’s my recipe), but you’ll need to do it about two weeks ahead. They are also becoming more readily available in stores: Fairway Market sells them loose in their olive department; Whole Foods carries them, too. In this recipe I used jarred preserved lemons that I purchased on our recent trip to Montréal.


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and use a sharp knife to cut away the tough core from the bottom. Slice large florets from the center stem, keeping them mostly intact. Cut the florets in half vertically, in order to maximize their cooking surface.


In a large bowl, toss the florets with olive oil and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To add a bit of aromatic, sprinkle with ground cumin and add a few sprigs of marjoram to the pan. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the florets over once midway to ensure even caramelization.


While the cauliflower roasts, make the Gastrique. Remove the pulp from the preserved lemon and finely dice the rind. In a medium bowl, combine the rind with the dried currants, chopped marjoram or oregano leaves, Sherry vinegar and honey. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and stir in pine nuts which have been gently toasted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.


Remove the cauliflower from the oven. The florets should be gorgeously golden brown.


Place the cauliflower on a platter and drizzle the Gastrique over all, making sure to evenly distribute the sauce. Garnish with more marjoram or oregano leaves and serve hot.


Serves 2 to 4:

1 medium head cauliflower
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sprigs of fresh marjoram or oregano

Gastrique:

1 tablespoon preserved lemon rind, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 teaspoons marjoram or oregano leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, gently toasted

marjoram or oregano leaves for garnish

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By passioneats | 2.07.2013 | Fruit, Herbs, Lemons, Nuts, Roasting, Side, Vegetables, Vegetarian |

2 thoughts on “veggie vogue”

  1. cpcooks

    Penny, this is a divine take on roasted cauliflower, my favorite veg and roasted my favorite way of cooking. I love the dressing elements! Just made roasted red peppers and a whole red onion, pureed into soup. yum winter stuff.