Roasted cauliflower with chimichurRi, tahini, poMegranate, and pine nuts

This is a re-creation of a dish my sister and I had at Sesamo in Barcelona. It’s insanely flavorul: crunchy, creamy, and tangy all at the same time.

The tahini and chimichurriplay perfectly off each other. The tahini brings richness, the chimichurri brings tartness and heat, and the pomegranate and pine nuts add crunch. Cauliflower is the perfect vehicle for all this flavor because it’s so porous, but I’m sure it would work for other vegetables too.

To make this, just roast a cauliflower and drizzle the other ingredients on top.

This is definitely going to become one of my holiday dinner go-tos.

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup chimichurri or Trader Joe’s zhoug sauce + juice of 1 lemon*
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

*If you’re into shortcuts (like me), you could substitute the chimichurri with another tangy sauce, like zhoug. Zhoug is a green, herby, spicy Yemeni sauce I found at my local Trader Joe’s. Harissa would probably be great too.

Ingredients: Chimichurri

• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice cauliflower into 1 inch thick slabs. Don’t worry if florets fall off in the process. Place cauliflower on foil-lined baking tray.
3. Melt your coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds, then use a silicone paintbrush to coat cauliflower in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning cauliflower over halfway in between.
5. To make chimichurri, combine parsley, cilantro, oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, chili flakes, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
6. Drizzle tahini and chimichurri over cauliflower, then sprinkle pomegranate and pine nuts. Serve immediately.