Cauliflower, in fat florets, cut-side down, roasted hot until the edges brown and the sugars concentrate — finished with tahini thinned with lemon, drizzled. Best beside anything Middle Eastern, or standing alone as lunch.
700 g
🥦 Cauliflower ›
in fat florets, cut-side down
1 pinch
⚫ Whole Black Peppercorns ›
cracked
Mise en place
Before you start
Prep checklist
Cauliflower — in fat florets, cut-side down
Whole Black Peppercorns — cracked
Heat the oven to 220°C with the empty sheet pan inside — a preheated pan sears the first side on contact.
💡
The hot-pan start is the difference between roasted and merely baked.
Toss the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper; spread on the hot pan in one layer with space between pieces. Crowding steams; space browns.
Roast 21–29 minutes, turning once at halftime, until deeply browned at the edges and tender at a knife's touch.
Finish: tahini thinned with lemon, drizzled. Taste for salt while hot — vegetables drink seasoning as they cool.
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing
Depends on the vegetable — roasted things reheat better than they freeze.
Reheating
Roasted vegetables re-crisp in a 200°C oven for 6–8 minutes; mashes loosen with a splash of warm milk over low heat.
Make ahead
Blanch or par-roast ahead, then finish with high heat just before serving.
Wine pairing
Follows the main.
Beer pairing
Follows the main.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
This is the side — pick a main.
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