Sam discovered the ancestor of this recipe several years ago (you always know something good is coming when a sentence begins with his name). He prepared it from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem. Simple has a similar recipe, only we like the first one better. Whichever recipe you start with, we’ve simplified it A LOT since then. We have changed some ingredients and we love it. In fact, we prefer it to the original version, but don’t tell our friend and inspiration Ottolenghi. After all, he’s the one who made us aware of the brilliant idea to roast cauliflower and serve it with pomegranate arils. We love the flavors. We love that it’s exceptionally beautiful. We wanted you to have it now, so you had time to consider it for your holiday tables.
One of the changes we made is to slice the cauliflower instead of cutting it into florets. This technique is faster and, more importantly, it allows the cauliflower to lie flat on the sheet pan for superior browning. Use two sheet pans, if you can, so the cauliflower will be sure to brown instead of steam. Don’t line the pans with parchment—this is, again, a browning issue. But it also makes it easier to flip the cauliflower over half-way during baking. The cauliflower is mixed with olive oil, so your pan will be easy to clean after roasting—we promise.
Roasted Cauliflower and Pomegranate Salad
Serves 4 to 6
1 extra-large cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 small onion, cut in half and sliced thick (1/2- to 1-inch slices)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup pomegranate arils (the pretty word for their seeds)
1/3 cup whole almonds
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped (1 small bunch, optional)
Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the almonds out evenly on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool and heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the bottom core out of the cauliflower and slice the head into 1/2"-thick slices, then into large-ish bite-size pieces (imagine big pieces here if you’re a person of moderation. If you’re avaricious, think in terms of regular-sized pieces). Spread them out over two sheet pans.
Add the onion slices and drizzle both vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and spread out across the pan.
Roast for 15 minutes, then take them out of the oven, flip them over, and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll want them to be somewhere between golden brown and lightly charred. While they are roasting, slightly chop the cooled almonds. You want chunky but not overwhelming bites.
Immediately after you remove the cauliflower from the oven, keeping it on the sheet pans, sprinkle them with coriander and lemon zest. The heat will bring out the flavors of these seasonings without scorching them. Then move everything from the sheet pans to a serving bowl and let them cool. Add the remaining olive oil and taste for salt. Add the almonds, pomegranate arils, optional parsley, and freshly ground pepper. Serve at room temperature.
