Tahini Roasted Cauliflower with Pickled Raisins, Labneh and Spicy Roasted Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Making the most out of the humble cauliflower is what’s happening here. The zing of pickled raisins, the coating of nutty tahini, along with a tangy vinaigrette, all on a bed of labneh— it’s a dish that’s perfect for weekday meals or weekend dinner parties. The vinaigrette is made with the juice of Meyer lemons that are roasted alongside the cauliflower— their juices caramelize and renders a lovely smokey sweetness— it’s so flavorful. If you don’t have Meyer lemons, use regular lemons and add a tablespoon of orange juice.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower, base trimmed and cut into florets
4 tbsp tahini paste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tbsp
4 Meyer lemons, cut in half
½ cup golden raisins
⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
A dash of sriracha
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
⅛ tsp chili powder
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
2 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup capers, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and black pepper
Fleur de sel
METHOD
Preheat oven to 425F.
For the picked raisins. Combine golden raisins, vinegar, sugar, salt and sriracha in a small bowl and set aside. Pickled raisins can be made up to three days in advance and kept in the fridge in a tightly sealed container.
In a small bowl, combine tahini, 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Lay florets on parchment lined sheet pan and drizzle tahini mixture, then use hands to lightly toss and evenly coat florets. Roast for 25-28 minutes until parts are dark golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork. Zest 1 lemon (to be used in vinaigrette, the other unzested lemons are for serving), and then for the last 15 minutes of cooking, add all Meyer lemon halves to sheet pan, face down.
To make the vinaigrette, juice 2 halves of the roasted Meyer lemon (approximately 3 tbsp) into a jar with a tight fitting lid, along with remaining ¼ cup olive oil, mustard, lemon zest, salt and pepper and shake vigorously to emulsify. If dressing is too tart, add more olive oil.
To plate, swirl labneh on a platter and add cauliflower, along with raisins, radish and capers. Drizzle with dressing and finish with parsley and fleur de sel. Garnish with 2 remaining lemon halves. Serve immediately or at room temperature.