Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Tahini Dip & Pomegranate Molasses - Monjay Mezza

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Dip and Pomegranate Molasses

FEATURING MONJAY MEZZA’S TAHINI DIP

Not much needs to be done to enjoy our products, Break open a packet of your favourite crackers or cut a carrot into batons and dip away. Or simply arrange our delicious finger foods on a platter and watch them crowd around. But the potential of our range is so much more, and we want to prove it. So we've created our very own recipe page to show you the versatility of our products. Dips to marinate or bake with, finger food transformed into main meals - the limit is your imagination.

 

This dish makes an eye-catching (not to mention mouth-watering) centrepiece for any feast. A blistered, charred whole cauliflower head on a bed of creamy tahini ribboned with pomegranate molasses. Statement made.
The trick is cooking the cauliflower so that you get a beautifully tender stem without turning the floret to mush. The enemy here is dry, hot air, which you get a lot of in an oven. This has the effect of charring and cooking the florets too quickly, before the heat has time to penetrate the stem.

The internet, of course, abounds with different methods of achieving the perfectly roasted whole cauliflower. The one we think works best makes use of a large casserole pot with a lid to create a humid environment. This stops the florets from drying before the stem is cooked through. Remarkably, the florets will still brown nicely, although you can remove the lid for the last half an hour if you want to ramp this process up and introduce a little crunch.

One last thing. Don’t remove the leaves; in the oven, they’ll crisp up and turn in to the most brilliant vehicles for scooping up any leftover hummus.

Another last thing. There are two ways to eat this dish. Either you serve nice even wedges of it and people do the whole knife and fork thing, or you get some sensory play in and guests simply tear hunks of cauliflower off and mop up the tahini with it. Each to their own. Here’s our recipe for whole roasted cauliflower with tahini.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 large cauliflower with leaves intact
  • Olive oil
  • 250g of Monjay’s Tahini Dip
  • 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses
  • Juice of half a lemon

Method

Heat the oven to 200 degrees, or 180 fan-forced.

Rub the cauliflower all over with olive oil and a good teaspoon of salt. Place in a deep casserole pot or dish for which you have a lid (alternatively use foil). Cover and cook for around 45 minutes to an hour. Check at around the 40 minute mark to see if it’s browning nicely. If it isn’t, remove the lid for the final cooking time.

Get a nice looking service dish or platter worthy of a whole roasted cauliflower. Spoon the tahini onto the dish and spread it out so the dish is mostly covered. Drizzle over the pomegranate molasses and then use a chopstick to swirl it artfully through the tahini like you’re an inner-city barista.

Lift the cauliflower out of the casserole pot and place on top of the tahini, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Serve.

Monjay Mezza is the home of traditional Middle Eastern Dips, Finger Food and Desserts.

Featured Product

Tahini Dip
A special blend of toasted sesame seeds with a kick of garlic and parsley, perfect alongside grilled fish or as part of a mezza plate with our traditional falafel.

Learn more about our Tahini Dip View our full Gourmet Dips range