Roasted cauliflower at high heat — until the florets char at the edges and the cut surfaces caramelise deeply — is a technique that Ottolenghi more than any other chef introduced to the Western food conversation. In Jerusalem it appears in multiple preparations, always roasted to a darkness that would have been considered burned in previous decades. The technique is correct: cauliflower requires aggressive heat to transform from its raw, sulphurous character into something sweet, nutty, and complex.
Cauliflower florets or slabs roasted at high temperature (220°C+) with fat until the cut surfaces are deeply caramelised and the edges are charred. The char is not incidental — it is the flavour. [VERIFY temperature]
Properly charred cauliflower has almost no relation to boiled or steamed cauliflower — the Maillard reaction and caramelisation produce nutty, sweet, bitter, complex flavours from what is otherwise a mild and somewhat challenging vegetable. Combined with tahini, sumac, pomegranate, or preserved lemon, it becomes one of the most flavourful vegetable preparations in the Levantine repertoire.
- High heat only — below 200°C the cauliflower steams rather than roasts, producing a soft, wet result without caramelisation - Cut surfaces must contact the tray — florets with no flat surface will roast unevenly. Slice larger florets in half to create cut surfaces - Do not crowd the pan — crowded cauliflower steams in its own moisture rather than roasting. Space allows moisture to escape - Do not move for the first 15 minutes — the crust needs time to form before the cauliflower can be turned without tearing the caramelised surface - The edges should be genuinely charred — dark brown to almost black at the thinnest points. This is correct, not over-cooked Decisive moment: The colour check at 20 minutes — if the cut surfaces are deep amber to dark brown and the thin edges are charred, the cauliflower is done. If still golden, continue. Pale roasted cauliflower is under-cooked regardless of how soft it feels.
OTTOLENGHI JERUSALEM — Technique Entries OT-01 through OT-25