WHOLE ROASTED JERK CAULIFLOWER
This stunning dish from chef Gregory Gourdet of Kann in Portland,
Oregon, applies his interpretation of Jamaica’s enduring smoky and earthy jerk seasoning to the creamy texture of roasted cauliflower.
Makes: 4 servings Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes For the cauliflower:
1 large head cauliflower (about 3 pounds), leaves removed 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the jerk glaze:
¼ cup coconut aminos or tamari 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup chile oil, homemade or storebought 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or
½ tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon allspice berries
2 dried or fresh bay leaves 1 moderately spicy fresh red chile, such as Fresno, stemmed and halved
1 scallion, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
½ Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed and seeded if desired 1 (1-inch) knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced against the grain
¼ whole nutmeg or ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1. Make the cauliflower: Set oven rack 10 inches or so from the broiler. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Trim the base of the cauliflower so it can sit flat. Flip the cauliflower base-side up and cut a deep “X” into the base, stopping when you reach the stems of the florets. This helps the core and base cook at the same rate as the rest of the head.
3. Rub cauliflower all over with olive oil, then season cauliflower all over with the salt. Sit the cauliflower in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet (11- to 13-inch works best) and roast to soften up the cauliflower (it will go from white to cream in color), 30 to 35 minutes. Pour ½ cup of water directly into the skillet and keep roasting until the cauliflower has patches of light golden brown and is just tender enough to easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, make the glaze: While cauliflower is roasting, combine glaze ingredients in blender and blend on high speed until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. When the cauliflower is tender, remove it from oven and heat broiler. Use a flexible spatula or silicone pastry brush to rub top and sides of cauliflower (don’t neglect those lower sides!) with the glaze.
6. Broil the cauliflower, basting it after 5 minutes with the juices in the skillet and trying your best to get that flavorful liquid in all of its nooks and crannies, until the top has spots of black char, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.