Roasted Cauliflower
Ester Restaurant in Chippendale has been one of the hottest restaurants in Sydney for a couple of years now. I went there recently with low expectations, thinking that it would be another “trendy” restaurant that was big on cool factor but mediocre on delivery. I love being proved wrong! (Eerm, well, for something like this!!) I was floored by how fantastic it was. Modern western food with a very subtle Asian twist which seems appropriate given the restauranteur, Mat Lindsay, is the former head chef of Billy Kwong (Kylie Kwong’s restaurant). Every dish had a little unexpected twist to it that gave it a “wow” factor. Nothing too drastic / try-hard / fancy, just little things. Like classic chargrilled prawns with burnt butter (delicious, but ordinary) transformed into knock-your-socks-off fantastic with the addition of a little tamari. I wanted to lick the plate but settled for mopping it clean with bread. Mind blowingly delicious. So this roasted cauliflower is from Ester Restaurant. It’s one of their signature dishes which I knew before I went, otherwise I can tell you for sure that I never would have ordered a roasted head of cauliflower at a restaurant. And I am SO glad I did. It is seriously amazing how char grilling a cauliflower can transform a somewhat drab recipe into something worthy of being served at a two-hat restaurant (Australia’s answer to michelin star ratings). I found the recipe on Gourmet Traveller Australia and it is the recipe from the restaurant. It is really easy to make. The restaurant serves it with an almond sauce which is quite rich, though you don’t use much. It’s like a mayonnaise made with almond meal. I’ve also made it with a yoghurt lemon sauce (diet food that’s big on flavour!) and a yoghurt tahini sauce (the creamy sesame flavour goes really well with the cauliflower) so I’ve provided those recipes as well because they are alternatives that are lighter as well as faster to make. I don’t share much meat-free dishes. So when I do, you know there’s a good reason for it! – Nagi
More cauliflower recipes
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