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what is it with modern men? Roast cauliflower with green tahini


There are three of us 50/60 somethings sitting around our desk at work. We were having a conversation about healthy eating and the current debate regarding Bacon/sausage intake. We then taked about what we ate last night ... it was all disgustingly healthy. One of our younger colleagues remarked that this wouldn't have been a conversation you would have overheard in an advertising agency 20 years ago. We agreed wholeheartedly.
However I had this Ottolenghi (yes him again) recipe last night and it was unbelievably delicious AND cheap AND local the holy bloody trifecta of food worthiness. Come on!!!Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce
1 large cauliflower with its leaves intact
45g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 Tblspn olive oil
wedges of lemon, to serve
coarse sea salt
Using a pair of scissors, lightly trim the leaves at the top of the cauliflower, so that about 5cm of the cauliflower’s head is exposed.
Green Tahini Sauce
80g tahini
3 Tblspn lemon juice
80ml warm water
1 clove of garlic, crushed
15g flat-leaf parsley (if making by hand, it should be finely chopped)
sea salt
To make by hand, thoroughly whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water and garlic in a bowl – you’re aiming for a creamy, smooth texture. If it’s too thick, add more water. Stir in the chopped parsley and taste; add salt if needed.
ingredients
method
Fill a pan large enough to fit the cauliflower in salty water. Bring to a boil and carefully lower in the cauliflower exposed head down: don’t worry if the base sticks out a little. Bring back to a boil, cook for six minutes, then transfer the cauliflower to a colander, exposed head down. Set aside for 10 minutes, to drain and cool.
Heat the oven to 170C fan. Make the tahini sauce and set aside (optional).
Mix the butter with the oil. Put the cauliflower stem side down in a medium baking tray and spread the butter mix all over the cauliflower. Sprinkle over sea salt, and roast for 1.5 – 2 hours, basting the cauliflower with the buttery juices five or six times during cooking. The cauliflower is done when it’s super-tender and a dark golden-brown, and the leaves are crisp and charred.
Remove from the oven and serve with the green tahini sauce (optional) and a little extra salt for sprinkling on top.
ingredients
method
If using a food processor or a blender, put the tahini with the garlic and parsley and blitz for about a minute until the sauce is green. Pour in the water, lemon juice and sea salt and blitz until you have a smooth green sauce with the consistency of double cream – add a little more water if it is too thick. This will keep in the fridge for three days.
You could also just have it with some yoghurt (or creme fraiche) with salt and lemon juice or salt lemon juice and crushed garlic.

If you want something a bit fancier try Josh Katz at Berber and q's cauliflower shawarma which is epic



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