Roasted Cauliflower with Sorghum Vinaigrette
This sorghum-infused vinaigrette is delicious over greens, pork, and vegetables. Here we've taken Silo restaurant signature dressing and tossed it with earthy roasted cauliflower.
"A few years ago, raw kale salad won the nation’s belly. Then baby kale leaves were turned into “chips,” scoring food awards and the most coveted spots on supermarket shelves. I’m not sure if this was before or after the crispy brussels sprouts craze. Now cauliflower is in. These trends have made me realize that people want to eat cruciferous vegetables, but they need to be told how to make them the best—or at least intriguing—versions of themselves. Whole roasted cauliflower is stunningly beautiful, hearty, and elemental. And since cauliflower is so versatile, once you learn the technique, you can adapt the flavors to suit your every whim." -- Michelle Mckenzie
Ingredients
- 1 medium head or 2 small heads cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 1 chile de arbol, torn in half
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- fine sea salt
- 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, Labneh, or 4 lime wedges, to serve
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Trim base of cauliflower slightly (so it will sit upright); if head has leaves, leave them on—they’re delicious. Place ovenproof dish with high sides—ideally one just large enough to hold the cauliflower—over medium heat. Add ghee and chile de arbol, and let the spice infuse the warm fat 2 - 3 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in turmeric. Have a spoon nearby.
2. Using gloves if you don’t want yellow-stained hands, spread ghee mixture all over cauliflower; use spoon to drizzle some ghee between crevices. Season entire head generously with salt. Nestle cauliflower, stem side down, in ghee-coated dish.
3. Roast uncovered 40 - 45 minutes, or until caramelized and tender—when pierced with a skewer it should offer little to no resistance. If it still seems a bit firm, return cauliflower to oven, reduce temperature to 350F, and continue to check every 5 minutes until cooked and caramelized. If it is browning too much (you want caramelization but not a black dinner), tent it with foil. Discard chile and any turmeric ghee left in pan. Serve with yogurt, labneh, or lime.
About this recipe
From The Modern Larder: from anchovies to yuzu, a guide to artful and attainable home cooking by Michelle McKenzie. Photography by Rick Poon.
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