When I discovered how easy this recipe was while simultaneously satisfying my roasted cauliflower craving, I knew my search for the perfect whole roasted cauliflower recipe was over. It may take an hour and a half to roast, but the wait is worth it. And you can use that time to prepare other items in your meal, or just drink wine and enjoy the downtime (my vote). This recipe is adapted from Michelle Tam’s nomnompaleo.com recipe for whole roasted cauliflower which was clearly recipe tested multiple times until perfected.
1 whole cauliflower head
4 to 6 ounces of extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt, as needed
2 tablespoons of Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp
4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
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1 - Start by heating your oven to 375°F and have your rack no higher than the middle of the oven.
2 - Cut away all the leaves from the cauliflower head, and remove the stem and tough core, but keeping the whole head intact.
3 - Drizzle the olive oil over the entire head of cauliflower, and using your hands, rub the oil all over making sure to coat the top and bottom. Sprinkle salt all over, on both sides.
4 - Place the cauliflower head right-side-up in a cast iron skillet. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and roast for an additional hour.
5 - While the cauliflower is roasting, make stir together the chili crisp and mayonnaise to make your aioli. Adjust with more mayonnaise or chili crisp depending on how spicy you like it. Set aside or keep refrigerated.
6 - Once the roasting time is finished, the cauliflower should be browned and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with the chili crisp aioli, and serve right away.
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