Description

This whole roasted cauliflower with anchovy sauce is a flavorful and elegant vegetarian main dish that highlights the natural sweetness of roasted cauliflower complemented by a rich, savory anchovy and tomato sauce. The dish incorporates a blend of aromatic shallots, garlic, chili flakes, and a creamy anchovy-tomato sauce served atop crispy buttery cauliflower leaves for added texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Cauliflower and Roasting

1 whole large cauliflower
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper, to season

Anchovy Sauce

2 banana shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced (divided use)
Good pinch dried chilli flakes
8 salted anchovies, finely chopped
600g tomatoes, finely chopped
75ml vegetable stock
100ml double cream
50g salted butter

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Cauliflower: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas Mark 6. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and save these for later use. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and blanch the whole cauliflower for 4-5 minutes, then drain it well.
Roast Cauliflower: Place the blanched cauliflower in a roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil all over and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown on the outside.
Prepare Anchovy Sauce: While the cauliflower roasts, heat a little olive oil in a pan. Gently fry the finely chopped shallots for about 10 minutes until softened and translucent. Add half of the sliced garlic and a pinch of dried chilli flakes, cooking for a further minute to release their flavors.
Simmer Sauce: Add the chopped anchovies to the pan and cook until they dissolve into the mixture. Then add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Season to taste and let the sauce simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a rich sauce.
Finish Sauce: Stir in the double cream and allow the sauce to bubble gently for another minute, melding all flavors together.
Fry Cauliflower Leaves: In a separate pan, heat the salted butter and add the remaining garlic slices. Fry the reserved cauliflower leaves in the buttery garlic mixture, seasoning well. Cook until leaves are crisp and flavorful.
Serve: Arrange the roasted cauliflower on top of the buttery fried cauliflower leaves on a serving dish. Spoon the warm anchovy sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

Blanching the cauliflower before roasting helps to cook it evenly and speeds up the roasting time.
The anchovy sauce adds a savory depth of flavor but can be adjusted or omitted for a vegetarian version.
Keep an eye on the roasted cauliflower in the last 10 minutes to ensure it becomes golden without burning.
This dish pairs well with crusty bread or a light green salad.
Use fresh tomatoes in season or canned good quality tomatoes as a substitute if fresh are not available.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: British

Keywords: roasted cauliflower, anchovy sauce, vegetarian main dish, roasted vegetable recipe, cauliflower recipe, savory vegetarian dinner