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Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Almonds
The inspiration for this cauliflower side comes from “Maximo,” by renowned Mexico City chef Eduardo García. To capture some of García’s complexly layered flavors while using a much-simplified approach, we make a thick puree of cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, pumpkin seeds, jalapeños and olive oil. Most of it is applied as a seasoning paste to cauliflower florets; the remainder is made into a simple sauce for serving alongside. In his recipe, García calls for Spanish marcona almonds, and we agree that the rich, sweet nuts yield excellent flavor. However, if marconas aren’t available—or if they’re too pricy—use regular roasted almonds. If you wish to temper the chili heat, remove some or all of the seeds from the jalapeños before adding the chilies to the food processor.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t use pre-cut cauliflower, as the florets tend to be too small and unevenly sized. When distributing the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet, be sure to turn the florets cut side down as much as possible. The more contact the pieces have with the metal, the better they will brown. Letting the florets roast without stirring also allows for deeper caramelization.
50 minutes
35 minutes active
Ingredients
-
1
cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
-
¾
cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
Directions
-
01Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist it with cooking spray. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, oil, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chilies, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed; the puree will be very thick. Transfer to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup; you should have about 1¾ cups.
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July 8, 2022
Family Favorite
The unique blend of flavors is sooooo delicious! I've made this at least 10 times! No changes made to this recipe, which is unlike me.
This was delicious, especially with the dip. However, the paste does not stick to the cauliflower when tossed. The "massaging it into the crevices" step is tedious and time consuming, but necessary for adhesion. Next time I may just skip that step completely though and rely on dipping for full flavor instead.
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This was surprisingly delicious and well balanced. I especially liked the dip, which went fantastic with tortilla chips too. This is a chameleon recipe that might have it's roots in Mexico City, but it can just as easily transport you to Spain or the Middle East. My only suggestion would be to maybe use more of the puree as dip and less as a rub.