Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• One large (2 1/2- to 3-pound) head cauliflower
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preparation

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, thyme, sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper to combine. Trim all the leaves from the base of the cauliflower. Trim the thick part of the stalk as much as needed so the cauliflower can sit flat.

2. Place the cauliflower bottom side up in a medium cast-iron skillet, Dutch oven or other similarly sized dish. Brush the bottom with some of the olive oil mixture. Flip the cauliflower right side up and brush with the remaining olive oil mixture until the cauliflower is evenly coated.

3. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid and roast for 30 minutes. Uncover, baste with the oil from the pan, and continue roasting for 1 hour more, basting every 20 to 30 minutes, if desired, until a knife can be inserted into the cauliflower with little to no resistance and the cauliflower is nicely browned. Transfer to a platter for serving.

4. Place a medium, preferably stainless steel (so you can easily see the color of the butter) skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and cook, stirring and swirling the skillet regularly, until the butter turns a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the almonds, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring and swirling the skillet regularly, until the almonds are toasted and the butter is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour the almond brown butter over the cauliflower, then carve it into thick wedges or slices, and serve warm.

WaPo

Ingredients

• 910g cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• sea salt
• 60 ml vegetable oil
• 150g red onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder (optional)
• 30g chickpea flour
• 480 ml fresh kefir or buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas mark 7.

Place the cauliflower in a roasting pan or baking dish. Sprinkle with the garam masala, season with salt and toss to coat. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and toss to coat evenly. Roast the cauliflower for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and slightly charred. Stir the florets halfway through roasting.

While the cauliflower is roasting, place a deep, medium saucepan or casserole pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan. Add the onions and sauté until they just start to turn translucent – 4-5 minutes. Add the turmeric and chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the chickpea flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and fold in the kefir, stirring constantly. Watch the liquid carefully as it cooks until it thickens slightly – 2-3 minutes. Fold the roasted cauliflower into the liquid and remove from the heat. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin and black mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop and the cumin starts to brown – 30-45 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes, swirling the oil in the pan until the oil turns red. Quickly pour the hot oil with the seeds over the cauliflower in the saucepan. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve warm with rice or parathas.

Nik Sharma / BBC

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• One 2-pound head of cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets
• 1/2 cup whole roasted almonds with skin, plus 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds (3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely shredded Manchego or other mildly nutty semi-aged sheep’s- or cow’s-milk cheese (3 1/2 ounces), such as Gouda
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon Pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half until steaming, then transfer it to a food processor or blender. Add the 1/2 cup of whole almonds and process until finely ground. Let stand for 10 minutes. Strain the half-and-half through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the almonds to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the ground almonds.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the flour and whisk over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the milk and the half-and-half and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 3/4 cup of the Manchego and whisk until melted. Whisk in the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In a large skillet, bring 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, cover and cook over high heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the cauliflower in a colander. Wipe out the skillet.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer the cauliflower to a 7-by-10-inch glass or ceramic baking dish and spread the Manchego sauce on top.

Sprinkle the gratin with the remaining cheese, the 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds and the paprika and bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbling and browned on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 c. chopped onion
• 3/4 lb. potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles, minced
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• ½ head cauliflower, florets (4 c.)
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, blended until nearly smooth
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz. frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
• ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Preparation

Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes start to brown. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower cook until well coated, about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 tsp. salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil. Cover and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp. prepared or Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Place cauliflower and water in 1 1/2 quart glass casserole and cover with glass lid.

2. Microwave 9 minutes on high. Drain. Combine mayonnaise, onion, mustard, and salt in small mixing bowl. Spoon mustard sauce on top of cauliflower. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Microwave 11/2 to 3 minutes on medium-high to heat topping and melt cheese. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 chili (red?)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g (just over 1 lb) orecchiette pasta
• 3 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
• salt
• parmesan, for serving, grated

Preparation

Cut the cauliflower into little florets, cook in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, drain. Peel the garlic and deseed and chop the chili. Heat the oil and gently cook both for a few minutes. Add anchovies, cook two more minutes. Add cauliflower, cook until it just begins to brown on the edges. Meanwhile, cook pasta to package directions. Drain and toss with the cauliflower. Serve with generous parmesan and more olive oil.

Nudo

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 slice white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
• ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom of head. Turn head so stem is facing down and cut head into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Cut around core to remove florets; discard core. Cut large florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer florets to bowl, including any small pieces that may have been created during trimming, and set aside.

2. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Heat bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon oil, pinch salt, and pinch pepper in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer crumbs to bowl and wipe out skillet.

3. Combine 2 tablespoons oil and cauliflower florets in now-empty skillet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover skillet and cook over medium-high heat until florets start to brown and edges just start to become translucent (do not lift lid), about 5 minutes.

4. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until florets turn golden brown in many spots, about 12 minutes.

5. Push cauliflower to edges of skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and lemon zest to center and cook, stirring with rubber spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cauliflower and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender but still firm, about 3 minutes longer.

6. Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer cauliflower to serving platter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

CI

Ingredients

• About 1 pound of cauliflower
• ½ cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Grated zest and juice of a lemon
• Sea salt
• Pinch of crushed red-chile pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Preparation

Trim the cauliflower, and break the head apart into florets.

On a chopping board, combine the olives, capers, parsley and lemon zest, and chop together to mix well.

Bring a pot of water large enough to hold the cauliflower to a rolling boil. Add a big pinch of salt, and when it returns to a boil, add the florets. Cook until the florets are just barely tender, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients, warm the chile flakes and the garlic in the oil over medium-low heat until hot, about 3 or 4 minutes. The chile and garlic should be starting to melt in the oil, rather than sizzling and browning. Stir in the lemon juice, and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the olive-caper mix, give it a stir, take it off the heat and set aside.

Drain the cauliflower well, shaking the colander. Combine the cauliflower with the olive-caper dressing in the skillet, and set the skillet back on medium heat. Warm it up to serving temperature, taste to make sure the seasoning is right and serve.

The New York Times