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whole roasted jerk cauliflower in a skillet

Whole Roasted Jerk Cauliflower

Super tender, flavorful, & visually stunning rut breaking main dish or show stopping appetizer.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Caribbean
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower
  • 1 ½ cups dry white wine
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tablespoon jerk spice mix
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup jerk marinade Walkerswood is a good store-bought alternative

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 475°.
  • Bring wine, jerk seasoning, kosher salt, lemon juice, bay leaf, and 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes EXACTLY starting from the time you drop the cauliflower into the pot. Flip the cauliflower with a large spoon after the first two minutes.
  • Transfer the cauliflower stem side down to a colander and drain for 10 minutes.
  • While cauliflower drains mix olive oil and jerk marinade in a mixing bowl.
  • Transfer cauliflower stem side down to a cast iron skillet or oven proof pan. Rub the top with oil and jerk marinade mixture. Reserve some of the oil marinade mixture.
  • Roast, rotating the dish once or twice. Spoon any oil drippings and/or reserved oil marinade mixture over the cauliflower in 8-10 minute increments until the cauliflower browns and a knife/metal skewer when inserted to the center meets no resistance roughly 20-25 minutes.
  • Let cool for five minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Serve the cauliflower whole or cut into wedges for a main dish, otherwise chop into florets.
Treat the cauliflower (or any vegetable for that matter) as you would a meat protein. Meaning - go all out with the same level of thoughtfulness and obsessing in the form of rubs, marinades, etc. and you will end up with something extraordinary. A whole roasted cauliflower should be loved like a pot roast.
All cauliflower types work for this recipe, but colored ones present really well. Choose smaller cauliflower heads over large ones. Larger ones are a challenge to achieving a fully cooked center without overcooking the exterior.
Cooking time will vary somewhat depending on the size of the cauliflower. 

Boiling the cauliflower in seasoned broth seasons the interior. This is where this recipe WINS as you get that jerk flavor inside and out. The outer surface retains flavors well whether from herbs, rubs, marinades. Slow cooking and frequent basting nets a tender center.

Proper draining of the cauliflower is essential. This step plus the actual roasting help preserve the natural crunchy texture. Otherwise, the cauliflower is soft and near mushy. Don't leave the cauliflower in the water longer than the recipe calls for as you don't want it to absorb too much liquid which will impact texture. 
Don't be afraid to baste. Using a towel or glove tilt the skillet slightly and scoop the juices up with a spoon and repeatedly pour on top of the cauliflower.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 1847mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1185IU | Vitamin C: 12.9mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1.2mg
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