Cook Like Chuck

This is my new favorite way to make cauliflower. It is great dish to make for a dinner party or a pot luck. It is vegetarian-friendly, can easily be made vegan-friendly, and doesn’t require much active work.

The seasoning in this particular recipe is inspired by the seasonings on elotes, Mexican street corn. At the end of this post, I have ideas for other seasonings that work well with cauliflower.

Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Necessary Tools

• Oven
• Large, oven-safe pan or skillet
• Knife for slicing and serving
• Measuring spoons
• Bowl and spoon for mixing ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 whole head of cauliflower (I used a yellow head, but any color will do)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup of sour cream
• 1/8 cup cotija cheese
• 1 tbsp Adobo seasoning (garlic powder, salt, oregano, turmeric, black pepper)
• 1/8 cup cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Peel all of the leaves off of the outside of the cauliflower, but do not cut through the main part at all. Keep it as in-tact as possible.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients together in a bowl. If you want to reserve some of the cheese to also sprinkle on top, you can. I did.
4. Slather the mixture on the outside of the cauliflower.
5. Put the cauliflower on/in the oven-safe pan and roast for 40 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, slice like a pie, and serve.

Variations

• Use olive oil instead of mayo/sour cream on the outside for a browner, crispier shell.
• Use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo/sour cream.
• Use your favorite curry powder as the main spice.
• Use cumin, oregano, and coriander as the spices.
• Use garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper as the coating.