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Roast cauliflower

Do you ever get the feeling that you just need a roast in your life? There’s something about a roast that makes it part comfort food, part celebration, and all round a delicious dinner. This roast cauliflower is about having that general feeling of goodness that comes with a roast, but giving it a plant based twist.

Whatever your lifestyle and choices, there’s a pretty solid chance that your could eat a few more vegetables in you life and this is where this recipe came from. Not only does a roast cauliflower have cauliflower in it (yes, this is the hard-hitting truths we get round here…), but all the ingredients come on to the list of ‘stuff that’s good for you’.

But this is no pathetic pile of nonsense that claims to be good for you and conveniently forgets to mention that it also saps the joy out of you, no this is a delicious dish.

Alongside the earthy, base notes that the cauliflower itself has (and the sweetness delivered through the roasting), there’s a plethora of flavour. The tomatoes offer more depth through some acidity, the paprika brings spice to the party and there’s a change in texture brought with the pine nuts. You can also never go wrong when you pop a good slosh of wine in there too…

This is an unashamedly ‘healthy’ dish, but it’s also one for people who enjoy eating. There’s layers to the flavour, texture and eating that you might not suspect from a dish like this. If someone is an avowed carnivore, it’s not going to turn them vegan, but anyone who enjoys going on a little culinary adventure is going to enjoy where this one takes them. And with any luck, for a few of us it gives an alternative to a roast that we’re all happy to eat every so often.

Roast cauliflower is not something that I ever thought I’d gravitate to, but honestly after trying this dish a few times I’m really here for it. This recipe is one of the easiest and mainly involves throwing stuff in a pot and letting it roast in the oven. Whether you’re feeling like a bit of a change or want an impressive looking veggie option, then take a punt on roast cauliflower and see just how delicious you find it.

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Roast cauliflower

  • Author: Craig
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4 1x
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Description

Looking for a roast that everyone can eat? This roast cauliflower is both vegetarian and vegan, but also something meat eaters can really get on board with. If you don’t quite have a Le Creuset, a Le Fake-et will do!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cauliflower
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 50g pine nuts
  • 1 handful of chopped parsley (about half a bunch)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 190 degrees C and get out a heavy pan.

In a bowl (or mortar and pestle) crush up the cloves of garlic along with the thyme and paprika. Add in a couple of spoons of olive oil. Zest your lemon separately, and then squeeze in half of the juice into the spice-garlic mix.

Take the hard outer leaves off your cauliflower and take a few chunks out of the base so that it can sit flat. Put it into the large iron pan and then rub the outside all over with your spice and garlic mix. Spoon the wine over the cauliflower and then put the lid on it and pop it in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove the lid and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out cleanly. Pour the tomatoes in around the cauliflower and scatter over the lemon zest and pine nuts. Cook, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes.

Drizzle over a little more oil and scatter the chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately.

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: vegetarian
  • Cuisine: British

Keywords: roast cauliflower

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by Craig
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