START TO FINISH: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
SERVINGS: 4
A head of cauliflower roasted whole and brought to the table uncut makes a striking, centerpiece-like dish. Blanching it in heavily salted water before roasting ensures the vegetable is seasoned to its core and reduces roasting time. Cooking times are for a 2-pound cauliflower; larger ones retained more water and took longer to roast. To serve more people, cook two 2-pounders rather than a jumbo-size head. We like this served as is, but it’s also delicious drizzled with tahini, Sriracha, a blend of both, or basbaas, a spicy cilantro-yogurt sauce (see recipe below) from Somalia.
Don’t wait for the water to return to a boil after adding the cauliflower before you start timing the 5-minute blanch. If the cauliflower is left in the water for longer, it will absorb too much water.
2-pound head cauliflower, leaves trimmed
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. In a 6- to 8-quart pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add ½ cup salt to the water, then carefully lower the cauliflower into the pot. Cook for 5 minutes (start timing immediately), flipping the cauliflower with a spoon after 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander, stem down, and drain for 10 minutes.
Transfer, stem down, to a baking dish. Rub the top with the oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast, spooning any oil that accumulates in the dish over the cauliflower and rotating the dish once or twice, until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center meets no resistance, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve directly in the baking dish, with a spoon for scooping portions.
START TO FINISH: 1 hour (5 minutes active)
MAKES: 1 cup
This simple yogurt-based Somali hot sauce packs a spicy, herbal punch. It’s delicious on just about anything, from fried eggs to grilled chicken. If you’re a fan of chili heat, use the seeds of some—or all—of the serranos.
Don’t use fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt. The flavor is best with the richness of whole-milk yogurt.
For Spicy Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce (Basbaas)
½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
½ cup packed fresh cilantro
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 serrano chilies, stemmed and seeded
1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth and bright green, about 1 minute. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.