Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese

Oven roasted whole head of cauliflower lightly seasoned with lemon juice, Parmesan and Cheddar cheese

Prep Time5

Cook Time37

Total Time42

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Anecia Hero

Equipment

Roasting pan, large stockpot or Dutch oven with lid
Sharp knife
tongs (to remove head of cauliflower from stockpot)

Ingredients

1 medium whole cauliflower head
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
⅓ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup finely grated Cheddar cheese
lemon zest for garnish
fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
red chili flakes for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F
Zest lemon and then cut lemon in half; juice lemon and reserve the zest for later
Shred cheese and combine in a mixing bowl; set aside
⅓ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, ⅓ cup finely grated Cheddar cheese
In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper; set aside
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Using a sharp knife, remove the green outer leaves from the cauliflower; cut the stalk so it is short and flat (this will help the cauliflower stand up in the baking dish)
1 medium whole cauliflower head
Place cauliflower head in a large mixing bowl upside down; drizzle half of the lemon/olive oil mixture into the crevices of the cauliflower
Flip the cauliflower back over right side up, use a pastry brush and baste the top of the veggie with a little more of the oil/lemon mixture; place in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Add ½" inch of tap water to the baking pan.
Cover and roast for 30-40 minutes, until the cauliflower florets are fork tender
Drizzle any remaining oil/lemon mixture over the top of the cauliflower, then sprinkle a little cheese on top; return to oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted (about 5-8 minutes)
⅓ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, ⅓ cup finely grated Cheddar cheese
Use tongs to remove the hot head of cauliflower from the baking dish; Plate as whole, or cut into quarters. Garnish with lemon zest, chopped parsley and red chili flakes (optional)
lemon zest for garnish, fresh parsley for garnish (optional), red chili flakes for garnish (optional)

Notes

If you want more cheese on your cauliflower after you cut it into quarters, sprinkle some more cheese on the quarters and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.

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