My cauliflower is still tough in the middle - what can I do?

Pop it back in the oven, covering the top with aluminium foil to prevent it from burning. Cauliflowers aren't uniform in size, and the cooking time will depend on the size of your cauliflower - if your stem is very thick, it will need more time to cook through.

I can't find gochujang, can I use something else in the cauliflower marinade?

You can use another hot sauce or paste - sriracha or red curry paste is great.

How spicy is the whole roasted cauliflower?

The marinade definitely has a kick thanks to the gochujang, but you can reduce the quantity if you're worried. Use 1 teaspoon, or you could leave it out. The rest of the dish is designed to work with the marinade to soften it - the tomato pesto is sweet and salty, and the tahini drizzle provides a lovely creaminess that cuts through the heat - so when it's paired together, it's not as spicy as you might think.

Is the whole roasted cauliflower recipe vegan?

If you swap the honey in the marinade and pesto for maple syrup or agave syrup, you can easily make it vegan.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Miso and Tomato Pesto

Description

This whole roasted miso cauliflower makes a seriously spectacular vegetarian centerpiece. It’s loaded with a punchy Asian-style marinade and served with a gorgeous miso-tomato pesto. It uses a clever time-saving hack to pre-cook the cauliflower, giving you the best result every time.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the whole roasted cauliflower -

1 large cauliflower, tough outer leaves trimmed
3 tablespoons white miso paste
1/2 tablespoon gochujang paste
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 scallions (spring onions), finely sliced
1-inch piece of ginger, grated

For the tomato pesto -

1 cup toasted flaked almonds, plus 1 tablespoon kept aside to serve (use 1 1/2 cups if you're using whole almonds)
2 teaspoons ginger, grated or chopped (or use ginger paste)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam (or use sweet chilli sauce)
4 tablespoons tomato paste

For the toppings -

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves, roughly torn
1 scallion (spring onion), sliced into long, thin strips and popped into a glass of water, to curl up.
1/3 cup tahini (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

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Instructions

Microwave the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on high for 12 minutes. In the meantime, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C fan).
Make the marinade. Add 3 tablespoons of miso paste, ½ tablespoon gochujang paste, 2 tablespoons of honey, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 finely sliced scallions, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of grated ginger to a small bowl and mix into a cohesive, thick sauce.
Coat and roast the cauliflower. Once the cauliflower has been microwaved, transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking pan or dish. Spoon the marinade over it, rubbing it into the cracks and crevices as much as possible. Transfer into the oven for 30 minutes, until lovely, red and charred on the outside. You should be able to easily pierce through the cauliflower with a knife.
Make the pesto. Add the toasted almonds, 2 teaspoons of grated ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of white miso paste, and 1 tablespoon of sweet chili jam into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz into a chunky paste, then set aside.
Make the tahini sauce (optional). Mix ⅓ cup of tahini with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt with a fork until a thick paste forms, then slowly drizzle in ¼ cup of water, continuing to mix, until a smooth sauce, the consistency of heavy cream forms. Use a little more water if it’s a bit thick (it will thicken up as it sits, too).
Garnish and serve. Once your cauliflower is cooked through, spread the pesto onto the base of a serving platter. Top with the charred, roasted cauliflower. Drizzle the tahini sauce over the cauliflower (if you’re using it), then scatter over the cilantro leaves, scallions, sesame seeds, and extra toasted almonds.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: The tomato pesto will keep well for 1 week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. You can also microwave the cauliflower, then cover it in the marinade the day before you want to cook it. Or you could roast it earlier in the day you’d like to serve it, then heat through in the oven at 350F (180C fan) for 15 minutes, with aluminum foil covering the top.

MAKE IT VEGAN: Swap the honey for maple syrup or agave syrup.

Serve the cauliflower hot from the oven, or at room temperature. It’s lovely either way.

The cook-time of the cauliflower will vary based on the size – I’m using a large cauliflower here – you want to be able to easily pierce the thick middle stalk with a knife when it’s done. If you feel a little resistance, pop it back in the oven for another 10 or so minutes, covering the top with aluminium foil to prevent it burning.

Gochujang is a Korean fermented chilli paste that you’ll find in the Asian food aisle in large supermarkets – you can also find it on Amazon. If you can’t find it, use another chilli sauce, like sriracha.

Prep Time: 12
Cook Time: 30
Category: vegetarian
Method: oven
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 cauliflower