Cauliflower In A Cast Iron Pot

[kirra]

Cauliflower In A Cast Iron Pot

Ingredients:

2 medium heads (about 3 pounds) cauliflower
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
2 Tbsp. vadouvan (spice mix); (Recipe follows)
1 cup whole milk
20 thin slices baguette (preferably a day old)
1 tsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
Microgreens , for garnish (optional); available at Trader Joe's stores

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each cauliflower into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Season some of the sliced cauliflower (about 1 1/4 whole cauliflower) with olive oil and sea salt to taste, and roast in oven until slightly charred and tender, about 25 minutes.

Put butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow butter to melt, become foamy, and turn golden brown. Remove from heat and add vadouvan. Let vadouvan and butter sit for an hour.

Add all but 1/4 of the remaining raw cauliflower to a pot. Add milk and just enough water (no more than 1 cup) to almost cover cauliflower. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and cook on low-medium heat until cauliflower is completely soft. Remove from heat, then puree in a food processor; strain through a fine sieve.

Brush baguette slices lightly with vadouvan butter; arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 to 6 minutes.

Season remaining raw cauliflower with a touch of vadouvan butter, parsley, and sea salt. Layer 4 mini cast-iron pots (or a shallow casserole) with roasted cauliflower and pureed cauliflower until filled. Top each with raw cauliflower and vadouvan butter. Garnish all with microgreens; serve each with 5 slices of baguette on the side.

Note: As an alternative to using vadouvan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add 2 thinly sliced shallots and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon curry powder and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove from heat.



Vadouvan
Indian Spice Blend

Make one big batch and keep it in the freezer for weeks—we’re sure you’ll be tossing it into all kinds of dishes.

Ingredients:

2 lb onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, halved
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Special Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder or a mortar and pestle

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle.

Pulse onions in 3 batches in a food processor until very coarsely chopped (there may be a few large pieces remaining), transferring to a bowl. Repeat with shallots, then garlic.

Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots, and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.

Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper and stir until combined.

Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined large 4-sided sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible. Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onions, until well browned and barely moist, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.