Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Whipped Ricotta

Here’s a twist on the preparation of a popular cruciferous vegetable

Lemony, garlicky, briny topping on the cauliflower, served over creamy whipped fresh ricotta

The presentation of this dish is spectacular, and will stand out over any other appetizers or sides with your meal

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How to Make Cauliflower

Cauliflower can be eaten cooked or raw. Cauliflower “rice,” is when cauliflower is pulsed into rice sized pieces in a food processor to use as a substitute for rice for people who like to follow a low carb diet. Cauliflower rice can also be purchased fresh or frozen in supermarkets. Cauliflower puree can be a delicious swap for mashed potatoes for people on low carb diets. Cauliflower can be roasted on a sheet pan with some good pairings of seasons such as Italian seasoning blend, or Asian flavors like cumin or curry.

This dish is unique because the cauliflower head is left whole. It is steamed in salted water, then roasted in the oven in it’s serving pan with a garlicky mixture including olive oil, fresh lemon juice, briny capers, and fresh Italian parsley leaves

Before serving a generous amount of fluffy whipped lemony garlicky fresh ricotta is spooned around the cauliflower head for dipping

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

Cauliflower is an anti-cancer cruciferous vegetable, along with other veggies in the brassicas family like broccoli, bok choy, and green and purple cabbage. The fiber content helps to keep you regular, and is good for gut health. It’s also very low in calories. Cruciferous veggies can make some people gassy. If this class of veggies causes any GI discomfort, consider adding in in small amounts, and increasing over time, and consuming them cooked vs. raw.

Whole Roasted Mediterranean Cauliflower Over Whipped Ricotta

Serves 2-4

This dish can be made ahead, and served room temperature, or served hot out of the oven

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower, washed, leaves trimmed

4 cloves garlic, divided – 1 clove crushed, 3 cloves sliced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one large lemon, divided

3 tbsp capers, drained

1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 heaping cup of fresh ricotta cheese

Salt and Pepper

Procedure

Place a heavy ovenproof skillet into the oven, one rack below center

Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection roast

Cut base off cauliflower so it will stand upright

Steam in 2” salted water, covered, until a knife pierces easily, about 10 minutes, then set aside

In a small pot, sauté 3 cloves sliced garlic for two minutes

Add capers and parsley, sauté for two minutes

Add lemon juice, stir, and remove from heat

Using a potholder, remove skillet from oven, place cauliflower head in center, and pour lemon caper oil mixture over the top

Return skillet to oven and roast for 15 minutes

Remove from oven, baste cauliflower with oil mixture in skillet

Spoon whipped ricotta mixture around base of cauliflower and serve in skillet

Whipped Ricotta

Add ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, lemon zest, juice of ½ lemon, and 1 clove crushed garlic to a blender, food processor, or hand blender, and blend until smooth