Roasted Cauliflower with Nori and Porcini Rub

Roasted Cauliflwoer with Nori & Porcini Rub

Posted at 20:31h in Recipes, Zephyr by Erin Esser

Roasted Cauliflower with Nori and Porcini Rub
Paired with Zephyr

The blend of Nori (seaweed) and Porcini bring such a flavor bomb to this dish make it very versatile to be enjoyed on its own as a main component to dinner or as a compliment to a big bowl of hot ramen!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Rub:
4 tablespoons Porcini Powder
2 tablespoons Nori powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
½ teaspoon chili crunch
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons agave nectar
Few drops liquid smoke
¼ cup Olive oil

1 large head of cauliflower, leaves removed and cut in half

Red Wine Mornay Sauce

1 ½ cups red wine, reduced to a syrup
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
2 ounces finely grated Gruyère cheese

METHOD:

FOR CAULIFLOWER:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium bowl combine all the above and mix well. If paste seems to thick add more oil, it needs to be applied using a pastry brush, so thicker than pancake batter.

Fill a large pot with water and add enough salt so it tastes like the ocean. Bring to a rolling boil and place first half of cauliflower in boiling water. Blanch for 2 ½ minutes, remove and set aside. Bring water back to a rolling boil and blanche other half of cauliflower for 2 ½ minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Using a pastry brush, brush on a thick layer of the rub, only on the floret side leaving the stems white.

Place cauliflower in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cut off florets to desired size.

FOR MORNAY:

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a steady stream. Sauce will initially become very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added.

Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Add red wine syrup.

Season with salt and nutmeg to taste. Working in 2 or 3 additions, whisk in cheese, incorporating each addition just as the one before it is on the verge of fully melting; make sure to keep the heat low after the cheese goes in, as too much heat can cause the sauce to break. Remove from heat.