I must confess that for me, the main appeal of cauliflower crown roast, a new-fashioned way of preparing this veggie, is its appearance. Once you cut wedges away, what you have is lots of unseasoned cauliflower. To mitigate this blandness, serve with plenty of the same simple, tasty gravy used to baste it while it bakes. In its favor, other than the handsome appearance of the cauliflower, is ease of preparation.

Recipe

Cauliflower Crown Roast

To mitigate cauliflower's blandness, serve with plenty of the same simple, tasty gravy used to baste it while it bakes. In its favor, other than the handsome appearance of the cauliflower, is ease of preparation.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Vegetable side dish / holiday

Cuisine: Vegan / Healthy

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Cauliflower recipe, Cauliflower Roast

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 37kcal

Author: Veg Kitchen

Ingredients

1 medium to large cauliflower

Easy gravy

1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend like Frontier or Mrs. Dash
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast optional (but highly recommended)

To serve

Arugula watercress, or mixed baby greens

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375º F.
For the cauliflower: Cut away the fibrous green leaves and any woody part of stem. Put in a casserole dish that will hold it comfortably, stem end down. Cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then remove from the oven.
For the gravy: Combine the broth and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the seasoning blend and add a few grinds of pepper.
Combine the arrowroot cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a cup or small container. When the broth mixture is at a steady simmer, slowly whisk in the cornstarch, stirring constantly until the liquid is thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the optional nutritional yeast.
Using oven mitts or a clean tea towel, uncover the cauliflower, and transfer to a plate for the moment. Drain off any water remaining in the casserole dish and use the same piece of foil to cover the bottom of the dish.
Using a spoon and/or a basting brush, cover the surface of the cauliflower with a nice layer of the gravy. Set the remaining gravy aside.
Bake the cauliflower uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes longer (depending on the size and density of the cauliflower), or until you can pierce through the center fairly easily. Don’t let it get overdone and mushy, though!
Before serving, coat the cauliflower with another layer of gravy, then transfer it to a serving platter lined with greens of your choice.
Transfer the remaining gravy from the saucepan to a small serving container. Serve the cauliflower at once, cutting it into 8 or so equal wedges, and pass around the gravy.