Whole roast cauliflower with green sauce
A centrepiece that costs less than a round of drinks.
Words — WT Editorial Team
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Moderate
Boiling the cauliflower first sounds fussy. It is the only way to get the inside cooked before the outside burns.
The green sauce is loose, sharp and meant to pool around the base.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, leaves left on
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the sauce
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Large bunch parsley and coriander
- 1 green chilli
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp capers
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Pomegranate seeds, to finish
Method
- 1
Boil the whole cauliflower in well-salted water for 10 minutes. Drain upside down and let it steam dry completely.
- 2
Rub all over with the oil and spices and plenty of salt. Roast at 200°C for 50–60 minutes, basting once, until deeply browned.
- 3
Blitz the herbs, chilli, garlic, capers and lemon with enough olive oil to make a spoonable sauce.
- 4
Serve whole on a platter, sauce poured around it, pomegranate over the top. Cut into wedges at the table.
Notes from the kitchen
- The leaves crisp up and are the best part — do not trim them off.
- Leftovers, chopped, make an excellent filling for a flatbread with yoghurt.
Why we cook it
One vegetable treated as the main event is a better argument for eating more plants than any amount of instruction.
The Sunday Edit
Five things worth knowing for a healthier week.
