The Ultimate Cauliflower

Clean the cauliflower, leaving the outer leaves intact. Choose a large pot that can hold the cauliflower submerged in water, fill 3/4 of the way with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully put in the cauliflower and 1 tablespoon of salt.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to the highest heat (this should be somewhere between 250-300ºC or 500-550ºF). After the water has boiled for 10 minutes, begin checking the cauliflower. Insert a knife towards the bottom (near the leaves). If the knife inserts easily, take out the cauliflower. If there is some resistance, leave it in and check again after a few minutes.

Once the cauliflower is tender, remove it from the water and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with 2 tablespoons olive oil (adjust amount based on size), salt and pepper. Place the cauliflower in the oven and check after 15 minutes. I needed to rotate the cauliflower several times to ensure that it charred all over, but your oven may be better than mine! Overall time in the oven, including rotating, took me around 30 minutes.

Once charred, remove the cauliflower from the oven and cover with the remaining olive oil. Season with more salt and pepper. You can eat the cauliflower on its own (it’s so good), or use tahini, sour cream, or any sauce your heart desires!

Recipe from Eyal Shani.