Ingredients
For the whole roasted cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower, tough leaves removed and stem trimmed
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling at the end
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling at the end
- Handful of parsley or cilantro
- 2 bay leaves
For the tahini sauce:
- 1 cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic, ground to a paste with a little salt
- 3 – 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Water
Method
- Preheat oven to 475 F.
- Add tahini paste to a large bowl. Add garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and about ½ teaspoon sea salt. Whisk together with a fork, making a thick paste. It will turn a strange color and consistency and you’ll think you’ve ruined it.
- Add cold water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the tahini becomes the consistency of a thick sauce. Taste for lemon and salt and adjust, as desired. Set aside.
- Place cauliflower in a pot and add enough water to cover (or almost cover). Add wine and seasonings. Stir. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender. Use a fork to test. It should slip in and out very easily.
- Remove the cauliflower from the water, brush with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet or an oven-safe skillet. Place in the oven and let roast for about 45 minutes, or until very dark and beginning to blacken in some spots.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle with extra olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with tahini sauce and zhug (Yemeni hot sauce).
Tahini sauce will keep in the refrigerator for one week.