Royal Cauliflower Roast with Almond Cream

Nik Sharma

Makes

4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup [140g] raw whole almonds
1 cup [240ml] low-sodium vegetable stock or Master Mushroom Vegetable Stock (see recipe)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 large cauliflower
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, unsalted melted butter, or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or ¾ tsp smoked sweet paprika powder
¼ tsp ground cayenne.
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 fresh green or red chilli
almond cream

THE COOK’S NOTES

Blanch your own almonds or buy them blanched. Either way, the skins must be removed, or the sauce won’t taste as nice.
Be careful when manoeuvring the cauliflower in the hot water; don’t be too rough with it, as you risk damaging the florets.
If you own a rotating cake stand, use it here. Place the cauliflower on it and rotate while you brush on the sauce.
Everyone salts their water differently when boiling vegetables or pasta. I use 1 tsp fine sea salt for every 4½ cups [1L] water. Adjust the amount of salt depending on the volume of water used. The salt helps with tenderising the vegetables, but it also gets into those tiny nooks and crannies inside the cauliflower, helping with seasoning.
Romanesco is a lovely and quite dramatic alternative to cauliflower.

This is an elegant entrée based on the creamy shahi (which means ‘royal’) dishes of the Moghul empire. It commands attention on a swanky dinner table. Bring it out after all the guests are seated, and use your best serving platter to present it as dramatically as possible.

View the recipe collection here

Instructions

1.In a medium heatproof bowl, cover 1 cup [140g] raw whole almonds with enough boiling water to completely submerge them.
2.Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the water. Rub the skins off the almonds and discard. Transfer the almonds to a blender.
3.Add 1 cup [240ml] low-sodium vegetable stock or Master Mushroom Vegetable Stock (see recipe); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp maple syrup; and 1 tsp poppy seeds.
4.Pulse over high speed for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with fine sea salt.
5.Transfer to a small serving bowl. The sauce can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
6.Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a large roasting pan or baking sheet with foil or a wire rack.
7.Fill a large stockpot with enough water to eventually cover 1 large cauliflower.
8.Stir in fine sea salt (see The Cook’s Notes), cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
9.Trim and discard most of the outer leaves from the cauliflower and trim the basal stalk to make sure it can sit comfortably upright.
10.Invert and submerge the cauliflower, flower side down, in the boiling water. Blanch for 5 to 6 minutes, until it starts to just turn tender and a little translucent.
11.A knife or skewer should pass through the cauliflower without much resistance. Carefully remove the cauliflower from the stockpot using a pair of kitchen tongs and a perforated ladle.
12.Let the cauliflower sit, upright and flower side up, on a cutting board to drain off any excess water, and then place it on the roasting pan.
13.While the oven and water heat up, prepare the seasoning mixture.
14.In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, unsalted melted butter, or ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp poppy seeds; 1 tsp chia seeds; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or ¾ tsp smoked sweet paprika powder & ¼ tsp ground cayenne.
15. Brush the mixture all over the cauliflower. Season with fine sea salt.
16.Roast the cauliflower until the surface turns golden brown on the outside, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through during the roasting time.
17.Remove from the oven, let rest uncovered for 5 minutes, and transfer to a serving platter.
18.Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and 1 fresh green or red chilli such as bird’s eye, jalapeño, or serrano, minced.
19.Serve immediately with the almond cream on the side and a carving knife.
20.Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This is an edited extract from Veg-Table: Recipes, Techniques + Plant Science for Big Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma.
© 2023. (Chronicle Books, RRP 79.99, distributed by bookreps.co.nz).
Photographs by Nik Sharma.

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