Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese

If you asked me if I wanted to spend a Saturday night going out to eat a restaurant or spend most of the day preparing a four-course dinner for family and/or friends, more often than not I would choose the later. Even though deciding what to make is equally as difficult as choosing off the menu from one of my favorite restaurants. I have more creature of habit tendencies when dining out than I do when planning a dinner party. So invariably I spend almost about as much time planning what to make as I do actually making it (this is a slight, but only a slight exaggeration). Depending on who is coming to dinner, I may or may not take the risk of making something for the 'first' time (after all these years my culinary ego still has its' fragile moments). In spite of or maybe because of a lifelong competitive relationship with my younger sister, I almost always make something new. And this past Saturday night the Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese would make its' debut on my dinner table.

Since the New Orleans Domenica chef Alon Shaya shared this recipe in Bon Appetit a couple of years ago, it consistently received rave reviews by everyone who made it and/or blogged about it. Quite possibly responsible for putting cauliflower back in the limelight as 'the' vegetable du jour as well as one being the key ingredient in everything from pizza crust to risotto.

Everything on this past Saturday night's dinner menu were things I had never served to my sister and brother-in-law before. However, with the exception of the Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese, everything else was tried and true (at least once or twice before). 

When choosing a cauliflower, choose the whitest one you can find as well as one with most green leaves. Even though you will be ultimately be removing the green leaves, they are indicators your head of cauliflower has been better protected and thus, fresher. This at its' peak winter vegetable has been around since 600 BC (talk about having longevity), but remains available year round. 

You don't want to necessarily choose the largest head of cauliflower. If it is 'too' big, it will not fully submerge when it first simmered in a large, deep pot filled with dry white wine, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, unsalted butter, Aleppo pepper, sugar, bay leaves, and water. Without the basket insert, my All-Clad pasta pot was the perfectly sized pot.

After the dry white wine, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, unsalted butter, Aleppo pepper, sugar, bay leaves, and water comes to a boil, the head of cauliflower (trimmed of its' green leaves) goes in (top side down or stem side up) and the heat is reduced to a simmer. Turning the cauliflower at least twice, it becomes knife tender in 15-20 minutes. If anything, err on the side of slightly versus overly tender. Using either slotted spoons or a large mesh spider the cauliflower is removed from the pot and placed on a large, rimmed baking sheet to drain. Note: If not roasting immediately, the simmered cauliflower can be kept at room temperature for a couple of hours.

In a preheated 475 degree (F) oven, the cauliflower is then roasted for 30-40 minutes or until browned all over. Note: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the roasting process. After transferring the roasted cauliflower to a serving dish, drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

This may be the most dramatic, visually striking, jaw-dropping head of cauliflower presentation to ever grace your dinner table. And the sheer beauty of this roasted cauliflower is merely a prelude to what your palate will be experiencing. Prepare to have your senses go into sensory overload, in the best of ways of course.

On its' own this Whole Roasted Cauliflower is incredibly delicious. Served with the Whipped Cheeses it is elevated to a new level of deliciousness insanity. The combination of flavors of the roasted cauliflower and slightly tangy whipped cheese may be unlike anything you have ever experienced. Goat cheese, feta cheese (buy fresh if you can), cream cheese, whipping cream, extra-virgin olive oil, and some sea salt are simply blended together in a food processor. Note: You can make the Whipped Cheese early in the day or the day before, keeping covered and chilled in the refrigerator.

If food can be art, then this Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese should be put in a place of honor in the National Gallery. It is almost too beautiful to eat, but eat it you must.

Anyone who claims not to be a fan of cauliflower (and we all know those individuals known to be quickly dismissive about things they don't like) will be converted after one taste. The meat and potato lovers in your family will be transformed into meat and cauliflower lovers. 

As it turned out the Whole Roasted Cauliflower was a perfect compliment to the Porchetta-Style Pork Roast. Roasted asparagus and a salad of fresh green peas, apples, Maytag Blue Cheese, and mixed greens tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, and the Swedish Gooey Chocolate Cake with freshly whipped cream helped to create a memorable meal. One having me wondering if I should rethink my view of not making the same company dinner again and again. 

There are innumerable benefits to spending time sharing a great meal with the people in your life you really like, you love, or you enjoy. Having your sister and brother-in-law bring a bottle of Von Strasser Reserve (2006) for dinner might not be at the top of that list, but its' definitely one of those benefits making a home cooked meal feel like dinner in a five star restaurant. Except nothing is more intimate than having dinner at your own dining room table or having dessert by a warm, roaring fire on chilly winter night. 

Recipe
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese (an ever so slight adaptation to Domenica chef Alon Shaya's Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese recipe, as shared in Bon Appetit May 2013)

Ingredients

Whipped Cheese
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
3 ounces fresh feta
3 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream 
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
Sea salt

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head of white cauliflower, leaves removed
2 1/2 cups dry white wine (recommend a Pinot Grigio)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
8 cups water

Extra virgin olive oil for serving
Coarse sea salt

Directions
Whipped Cheese
1. Blend goat cheese, feta cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, and two Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor until smooth.
2. Season with sea salt.
3. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: Whipped Cheese can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Roasted Cauliflower
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees (F).
2. In a deep pot, bring wine, olive oil, kosher salt, lemon juice, butter, Aleppo pepper, sugar, bay leaves, and 8 cups of water to a boil.
3. Add trimmed cauliflower, reduce heat, and simmer, turning occasionally, until a knife easily inserts into the center (approximately 15-20 minutes). Note: Begin by placing the cauliflower stem side up.
4. Using a large mesh spider, transfer cauliflower to a rimmed baking sheet. Allow to drain. Note: If not roasting the cauliflower immediately, keep at room temperature.
5. Place cauliflower in oven, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until brown all over. Approximately 30-40 minutes.
5. Transfer cauliflower to serving dish. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with the Whipped Cheese.