Best Charred Cauliflower Recipes

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, with a large knife, cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut off the tough core at the stem end of each piece. Cut cauliflower quarters into rough 1/2-inch slices. Cut larger slices into several pieces, so all the chopped cauliflower is about the same size.
• Salt boiling water generously and add chopped cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.
• In a large bowl, put garlic, anchovy, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk ingredients together and taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice as necessary.
• Add blanched cauliflower to the bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes, or add to taste, and toss cauliflower with your hands to coat evenly with dressing.
• Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish, small roasting pan or sheet pan. (Recipe may be prepared up to this point several hours ahead of baking.)
• To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cauliflower, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is browned and beginning to char in some places. For extra char, place dish under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkling of parsley and scallions. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER, LEMON & CAPER ORZO

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Toss the cauliflower with half the oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and grill for 15-20 mins until golden, charred, and tender all the way through.
• Meanwhile, cook the orzo in a pan of boiling salted water for 8 mins, or until al dente. Drain.
• Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and sizzle the capers and garlic until golden. Stir in the orzo, cauliflower, lemon zest and juice and the stock. Bubble for 1 min, then spoon half into a bowl and top with the rocket. Leave the leftovers to cool for the lunchbox, see tip below.

BAKED FALAFEL & CAULIFLOWER TABBOULEH, GREEN TAHINI SAUCE & CHARRED SPRING ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip the chickpeas, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, cayenne pepper, red onion, 1 garlic clove, sesame seeds, baking powder, parsley stalks and ½ tbsp water into a food processor. Blitz until everything is combined but not mushy - you want the falafel to have some texture, rather than being like hummus. Season to taste, then roll into 18 even-sized balls. Flatten each ball into a disc shape and put them on the baking sheet (the more surface area the crisper they will become). Brush them with ½ tbsp oil. Bake for 20 mins, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
• Meanwhile, clean out the food processor. Briefly pulse the cauliflower until you have a 'couscous' consistency. Mix the cauliflower with the remaining ground spices, ½ tbsp olive oil and seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 10-12 mins, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted. Once cool, mix through the chopped parsley, mint and half the lemon juice. Season to taste.
• Heat the grill to high (this can be done the night before, if you like). Brush the spring onions with 1 tsp oil, season, then grill until soft and charred for around 5 mins, turning halfway.
• Meanwhile, blitz the rocket, coriander, remaining garlic, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water together in a food processor until bright green. Put the tahini in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the herby water until the tahini loosens to a sauce consistency. Season to taste.
• Divide the green tahini and spring onions between the baked falafel and tabbouleh in bowls.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients but cauliflower together.
• Brush the mixture onto the cauliflower being careful not to break the flowerettes. Let marinade for 20 minutes.
• Place the quartered sections on medium high heat on an outdoor grill.
• Cook till grill marks are present about 5 minutes. Flip and grill 5 more minutes.
• At this point you can remove and enjoy crisp.
• Or.
• You can place the cauliflower in heavy foil on grill and continue to cook till tender and soft to your liking.
• Or
• Place the cauliflower on indirect heat and continue till tender.
• You may need to add more oil to baste. Season with salt and pepper.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER WITH CLEMENTINES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil. season with salt and pepper. Roast, flipping one, until tender and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter with clementine segments and olives.
• Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: Whisk remaining oil with vinegar and clementine zest and season with salt. Drizzle over cauliflower, clementines, and olives and sprinkle with parsley.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER QUESADILLAS RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• Char peppers: Over a gas burner turned to high, hold the poblanos over the flame with tongs and char them until they are black and blistered all over. Alternatively, you could do this under a broiler, turning them frequently for even blistering. Transfer hot chiles to a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Set aside to steam and let their skins loosen while you cook the cauliflower. Char cauliflower: In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, until it's evenly coated. Heat your largest heaviest frying pan over high heat until almost smoking, add cauliflower, and let it cook until each piece has a few black spots but is not mushy, turning and moving it frequently to ensure even cooking. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer florets to cutting board to rest. Mix filling: When poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin off with your fingertips or a paring knife. Pull out and discard stems and seed clusters, and slice peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add to cauliflower on board and give both a rough chop together, reducing the cauliflower to no bigger than 1/2-inch chunks. Return cauliflower and peppers to the large bowl, add scallions, lime juice and salt to taste. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower filling. Assemble and cook quesadillas: Lay out 6 tortillas and spread 1/3 cup cauliflower filling and 1/3 cup shredded cheese to each. Place second 6 tortillas on top as lids. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, coat lightly with olive oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook quesadillas until browned underneath, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully a flip - a large, thin spatula like my favorite kind helps here - and repeat on the second side. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. To serve: Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with your choice of fixings. Two of my favorites are below. Cumin-Lime Crema : Combine in food processor, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve alongside quesadillas. Lazy Taco Slaw: Toss cabbage mix, salt and lime together in a large bowl; set aside for 5 minutes. It will shrink down a bit. Stir in scallions, then mayo and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings/ingredients to taste, then stir in cilantro leaves. Serve alongside quesadillas or any of your favorite tortilla-clad meals.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER STEW

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high and lightly oil the grates, if you'd like, to make cleanup easier. (Or, if you don't have a grill, heat the broiler to high and lightly oil a baking sheet.) Take one of the heads of cauliflower, pull off the leaves, and slice it into big slabs, stalk and all. Throw the slices on the grill and cook on each side until you get nice char marks, about 3 minutes per side, or broil until they turn dark brown, about 10 minutes (no need to flip them). Let slices cool, then roughly chop them. (You aren't fully cooking the slices; they'll cook in the stew. What you want to do is get that char on there.)
• Take the other head of cauliflower and grate 1/2 cup cauliflower florets into a small bowl. Break off a big chunk (about a quarter of the head) and set it aside, then roughly chop the rest.
• Prepare the pickled cauliflower: Mix the grated cauliflower with lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and let sit until stew is ready to be served.
• Put 1/4 cup oil in a large pot, and set it over medium heat. Once it's hot, add onions, garlic, coriander, mustard and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until onions are almost translucent but haven't browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in parsnips and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the parsnips soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the raw chopped cauliflower, the big chunk of cauliflower and the potatoes. Stir a few times, then pour in the stock. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer and let cook until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Remove from heat and transfer that big chunk of now-cooked cauliflower into a blender along with 2 cups of the soup. Make sure you get some potatoes, parsnips and celery in there. Blend, but do it carefully. Hot soup has a tendency to explode. Start it on low and slowly increase the speed.
• Pour the blended mixture back into your big pot of stew, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the grilled or broiled cauliflower. When you're ready to serve, bring it up to a boil again.
• To serve, divide watercress between 6 large bowls. Ladle the stew into the bowls and top with cheese, tarragon and pickled cauliflower.

CHARRED CAULIFLOWER WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS AND OLIVES RECIPE

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, with a large knife, cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut off the tough core at the stem end of each piece. Cut cauliflower quarters into rough 1/2-inch slices. Cut larger slices into several pieces, so all the chopped cauliflower is about the same size.
• Salt boiling water generously and add chopped cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.
• In a large bowl, put garlic, anchovy, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk ingredients together and taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice as necessary.
• Add blanched cauliflower to the bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes, or add to taste, and toss cauliflower with your hands to coat evenly with dressing.
• Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish, small roasting pan or sheet pan. (Recipe may be prepared up to this point several hours ahead of baking.)
• To finish, heat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cauliflower, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is browned and beginning to char in some places. For extra char, place dish under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature with a sprinkling of parsley and scallions. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.