Name: Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Grape Relish Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 sides (or 3 mains)
Ingredients: 1 large head of cauliflower; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 tbsp water; zest of one lemon; 1 tsp paprika ((smoked or regular)); 1 tsp chili garlic sauce for mild spice ((or more)); 1/4 tsp each, salt and pepper ((or more to taste)); zest from 1 small lemon; juice from 1 small lemon ((about 2 Tablespoons)); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 tbsp chopped green onion; 1/2 cup chopped parsley; 2 tbsp currants; 1 cup chopped seedless grapes ((I use purple)); 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey (optional); salt and pepper to taste

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Company-worthy Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Grape Relish becomes a beautiful centerpiece with its bright fruity zesty topping.

Use it as a side dish or as a main dish served over quinoa, rice or couscous. The process is pretty simple: coat a whole cauliflower in a mixture of olive oil, paprika, chili garlic sauce and lemon zest; roast it covered for half the time then uncovered for the rest; and while it’s roasting, toss all the relish crowning-glory ingredients together (grapes, nuts, parsley, lemon, currants, maple syrup) and top the cauliflower when it’s done. That’s it.

The roasting method does take a bit of time, but it’s mostly hands-off which frees you up to do other things. And, it’s much simpler to make than it looks.

The whole roasted cauliflower is flavorful and tender. The grape relish adds a juicy, sweet-tart complement. I used a really tasty relish from Canadian Living Magazine. I just added a couple of teaspoons of maple syrup to balance the tartness of the lemon.

This is an impressive dish for guests that can be made ahead and kept warm. I served it over quinoa in the picture above along side a spicy salmon or our Maple Balsamic Rainbow Trout. I’ve also served it as a side with grilled bone-in chicken to great dinner party reviews.

Tailor To Your Taste

Instead of a whole cauliflower, try our grilled cauliflower or roasted cauliflower wedges.
Try a very simple coating mixture of olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
For the grape relish, use any toasted nuts, a shallot instead of a green onion or any kind of seedless grapes.

Shortcuts

Do the first part of the ‘roasting’ (which is actually steaming) in the microwave. This option – about 6-8 minutes – instead of 20 minutes – is described in the recipe below.
Instead of coating the cauliflower with a homemade mixture, use your favourite oil-based salad dressing such as Italian, Balsamic, Catalina, etc.
Skip the grape relish and use a store-bought fruit chutney.
Instead of a whole cauliflower, try grilled or roasted florets – much quicker. (see pictures below recipe)

Make Ahead Whole Roasted Cauliflower

The relish can be made a day or two ahead. The cauliflower can be made ahead the same day and kept in a warm oven, then topped with the relish at serving time. Or, do the covered part of the cauliflower roasting ahead of time, then the final uncovered roasting before serving.

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