Roasted cauliflower with tahini dressing, pomegranate and pistachio nuts

Main course, 4 persons.

Equipment: Dutchdeluxes Medium Rectangular Oven Dish, pestle and mortar, brush.

Ingredients

• 1 Cauliflower (medium/large)
• 1 Garlic clove, peeled
• ½ tsp. Ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp. Olive oil + 1 teaspoon
• 4 Lemons
• 3 tbsp. Tahini paste (sesame paste)
• 1 tbsp. Greek yogurt
• 1 Bunch flat leaf parsley
• 1 Bunch fresh dill
• 1 Pomegranate (or 150 gr. pomegranate seeds)
• 50 gr. Peeled pistachio nuts
• Za'atar (Middle Eastern herb mix)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• (Sea)salt

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 240 degrees Celsius.
2. Bring a large pot of water with 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil.
3. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut the stem straight so it can stand up. Boil the cauliflower for 7 minutes, white part down. Drain and let it steam in a sieve for 10 minutes.
4. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds 2-3 minutes in a small pan until fragrant. Remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine with 1 teaspoon of seasalt. Add 1 clove of garlic and grind to a paste. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, a few twists of black pepper and the curcuma and mix well.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the center of the oven dish and place the cauliflower. Brush the entire cauliflower with the herb oil.
6. Place the cauliflower in the middle of the oven voor approximately 45 minutes (depending on the size).
7. Check the cauliflower halfway and turn. Add 2 halved lemons to the oven dish at this point.
8. Make the dressing by combining 3 tablespoons of tahini with 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice.
9. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and 1 tablespoon of yoghurt. For a thinner dressing, add more water. Taste and season with salt and fresh black pepper and extra lemon juice or yoghurt if needed.
10. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate above a bowl. Toast the pistachios in a frying pan, remove and chop roughly. Also roughly chop the dill and parsley.
11. The cauliflower is ready when you can easily pierce a knife or pin through the center. The cauliflower should have a brown, charred color, which gives added flavour.
12. Garnish the cauliflower with the nuts, pomegranate, herbs and za’atar and serve with the charred lemon, dressing and extra za’atar to taste.

Variations

• Try adding a minced clove of garlic to the dressing or some chopped green herbs like coriander.
• Replace the pistachios with toasted shaved almonds.
• Replace the za’atar with sumac.