Description
This showstopper whole-grilled cauliflower is topped with a creamy tahina sauce; herby, spicy zhough; and tangy sumac onions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grapeseed oil, plus more for grilling
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons nigella seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 medium to large heads cauliflower, leaves and stems trimmed
- 1 (16- x 6- x 3-inch) log of oak or mesquite wood, for grilling
- sea salt
- 1/2 cup loosely packed mixed tender fresh herb leaves (such as cilantro, parsley, and mint)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 1/2 cups grapeseed oil
- 6 serrano chiles, unseeded, stems removed
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground sumac
Directions
- Whisk together oil, salt, turmeric, nigella seeds, and coriander in a large bowl. Add cauliflower; gently toss, turning and brushing as needed, until thoroughly coated. Let marinated cauliflower rest at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, open bottom vent of a grill completely. Fill a charcoal chimney starter with briquettes, and place on one side of bottom grate of grill. Place log directly next to chimney starter; light charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash and part of the log closest to chimney starter is smoldering, pour briquettes onto the side of the bottom grate where the chimney starter was sitting. Lightly grease top grate with grapeseed oil; place on grill.
- Place cauliflower on oiled grate over side without coals, reserving any marinade. Grill, covered, until cauliflower is tender and a wooden skewer slides into center of cauliflower with just a little resistance, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, brushing with any reserved marinade and rotating 180 degrees halfway through cook time. Transfer cauliflower to grate directly over coals; grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes.
- For the tahina, combine all ingredients in a blender and process on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate tahina in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- For the zhough, combine all ingredients in a blender and process on high speed until smooth and pesto-like in consistency, about 1 minute. Refrigerate zhough in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- For the sumac onions, bring vinegar to a simmer in a small skillet over low. Remove from heat. Toss together onion slices, sumac, and hot vinegar in a medium bowl until well combined. Refrigerate sumac onions in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Place cauliflower on a serving platter. Drizzle each cauliflower head with 1/2 cup tahina and 1/2 cup zhough, and top each head with 1/2 cup sumac onions. Sprinkle cauliflower with sea salt and tender fresh herbs. Serve remaining tahina, zhough, and sumac onions with cauliflower.
