Milford Spice Company's Zahtar Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce

Sometimes the most simple dish can be a perfect, flavorful accompaniment to a whole meal.  This Roasted Cauliflower springs to life with Milford Spice Company’s Zahtar.  Cauliflower is such a perfect canvas to bring Zahtar’s flavor to life.  Though it can be used on basically every vegetable - and it should! - This roasted cauliflower is one of my favorites.

INGREDIENTS

1 whole cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp Milford Spice Company’s Zahtar
1 cup water
1 Batch Tahini Sauce
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, dill and or mint, sprinkle with optional aleppo chili flakes, drizzle with this optional Tahini sauce!

For the Tahini Sauce:

½ cup tahini paste
¼ –⅓  cup warm tap water, more to desired consistency.
1 –2 Tbsp lemon juice ( more to taste)
1–2 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
2 garlic cloves (finely minced – use a garlic press)
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS

For the Tahini Sauce:

• If your tahini paste has separated try to mix it in the jar with a fork before measuring.  If it’s very cold, bring to room temp, so you can use both the solids and the oil.

• Place tahini paste and warm water in a 2-cup mason jar or medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Once you start whisking, it will actually thicken, so feel free to thin it out with more water if using as a dressing.

• Add the remaining ingredients to the jar – lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper and whisk until creamy and smooth. It will thicken as it cools in the fridge.

• Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.

For the Cauliflower:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• Trim the cauliflower – either cutting off the stem (easier) or leaving it intact, trimming and slicing the bottom  so it stands up straight.

• Place it in an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil all over the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and Milford Spice Company’s Zahtar.  Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pan. 

• Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes- or until tender all the way to the middle, when pierced with a knife. Smaller cauliflower heads may only take 45 minutes, larger can take up to 60.

• Very carefully take the lid or foil off, minding the hot steam, so try not to burn yourself!  Drizzle with a little more olive oil, place back in the oven for 30 minutes, perhaps rotating halfway through. At this point it should be deeply golden, but if not, continue roasting until it is a deep golden.

• Remove from the oven and sprinkle more Milford Spice Company’s Zahtar if you like, fresh herbs, optional chili flakes.  Drizzle tahini sauce over the whole thing right in the pan, or cut cut up and serve the tahini sauce on the side.