Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Serves 4.

1 head Red Dog cauliflower
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the cauliflower head and pat dry. Remove any outer leaves. Carefully cut off the bottom so that it’s flat and most of the woody stem is removed, being careful not to cut off so much that it falls apart. Be sure the head stays intact.

In a small bowl, make the garlic Parmesan sauce. Stir together the olive oil, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (half of the total amount), basil, parsley, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.

Place the trimmed cauliflower head upside down (core side up) onto a 6-quart dutch oven. Drizzle 1/2 of the sauce over the cauliflower, tilting it to let it drip down the core and all around. Flip over and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top. Use a pastry brush to brush on any that had dripped down to the pan or didn’t spread well.

Cover the dutch oven with a lid and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and pierces easily with a skewer, knife or fork.

Remove the lid. Sprinkle the top of the cauliflower with the remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Place the cauliflower under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is browned.