Roasted cauliflower with Mediterranean flair a bright Thanksgiving side
Nick Goellner is cool as a cucumber on the day before opening his new restaurant, the Antler Room, at 25th and Holmes streets. But when it comes to Thanksgiving, he’s all about the cauliflower.
“My family eats a fairly traditional Thanksgiving dinner. However, we have taken to serving a few Middle Eastern dishes alongside the traditional staples,” Goellner says. “The flavors are nice and bright and are a nice contrast to the richness of the other dishes. And in my opinion, cauliflower, while having gained some popularity in the last decade, still deserves a higher place in the vegetable hierarchy.”
The Goellner family’s menu includes his father’s turducken, although his mother, Vicki, usually does most of the cooking, while his pastry-chef sister, Natasha Goellner of the Antler Room and her new Cirque du Sucre food truck, can be counted on to make “way too many desserts.”
Certainly, Nick is no slouch in the kitchen — he interned at Noma in Copenhagen, considered the best restaurant in the world right now — but he rarely winds up cooking on Thanksgiving because “I’m a complete mess in a home kitchen.”
It’s the communal dining aspect of a Thanksgiving feast that Nick is trying to re-create at the Antler Room. “I love that grabbing this and that … I love the energy of being in a big group.”
Aromatic Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini, Olives and Lemon
This potluck-size dish would work perfectly with any variety of cauliflower, for example Romanesco, broccoflower, cheddar cauliflower or purple cauliflower.
Makes 20 servings
4 large heads cauliflower, washed and dried, central core and green leaves removed
5 small cloves garlic, grated
Zest of 2 large lemons
3 tablespoons non-pareil capers, rinsed and minced
3 small, brown, oil-packed anchovies, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili flakes
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 1/2 tablespoons rinsed and finely chopped olives (such as Kalamata or Castelvetrano)
2 teaspoons salt
5 cracks fresh black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Garnish:
5 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 cup golden raisins
4 1/2 tablespoons jarred tahini, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 2 rimmed baking sheets in oven, let heat for 10 minutes. Cut or break cauliflower into small, uniform florets, about 1-2 inches.
Combine garlic, lemon zest, capers, anchovies, chili flakes, parsley, olives, salt, pepper, cumin and olive oil in a small bowl.
Rub cauliflower generously with olive mixture. Very carefully remove hot sheet trays from oven and place on stove top. Add cauliflower mixture to hot sheet trays, spreading cauliflower into an even layer. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes Remove from oven when al dente and golden brown around the edges.
To serve: Warm a medium-sized serving bowl in a low oven. Toss cauliflower mixture (make sure to scrape all the cooked olives, etc., off the pan and include with cauliflower) with pine nuts, parsley, lemon juice and golden raisins. Check mixture for seasoning, adding salt to your liking. Drizzle with the tahini and serve.
Per serving: 116 calories (43 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 1 milligram cholesterol, 14 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 303 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.
This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Roasted cauliflower with Mediterranean flair a bright Thanksgiving side."