Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Beet Hummus
A whole head of cauliflower is par-boiled, roasted until deeply browned, and set on a swirl of earthy beet hummus for a dramatic vegetarian centerpiece.
Roasting a cauliflower whole makes a real centerpiece out of a vegetable usually chopped into florets and forgotten. Par-boiling it first shaves real time off the oven and guarantees the center cooks through before the outside burns. Set it on the beet hummus right before carrying it to the table so the color stays vivid underneath.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step donePreheat the oven to 400F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Trim the leaves from the whole head of cauliflower and lower it into the boiling water for 5 minutes to par-cook, then drain well.
Whisk the olive oil with cumin, smoked paprika, minced garlic, and salt, then brush the mixture generously over the entire cauliflower.
Set the cauliflower in a baking dish and roast for 50 minutes, brushing with more of the spiced oil twice, until deeply browned and tender at the center.
While the cauliflower roasts, blend the cooked beets, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor until smooth, adding water as needed to loosen.
Spread the beet hummus in a thick swirl across a serving plate.
Set the whole roasted cauliflower on top of the hummus and scatter with chopped parsley.
Cut the cauliflower into wedges at the table so the beet hummus shows at the base of each slice.
Kitchen note
Test doneness by inserting a knife into the thickest part of the core; it should slide in with almost no resistance before you pull the cauliflower from the oven.
