Coconut Milk, Spice & Thyme Whole Roasted Cauliflower // A Fall Feast

A couple weeks back I got together with some incredibly talented ladies who share the same love for food & pixels that I do. Which is kind of ah-mazing when you don’t have to apologize for indulging in some cold grub post picture snapping…… (yes, I’m one of those, but not publicly, or at least I try to avoid that one at all costs… gotta at least appear to be semi-chill, which couldn’t be further from the truth).

Any who, knowing that fall was right around the corner we wanted to throw a little kick off to oversized cable knits, leggings and the ugliest boot to set foot on this planet, Uggs. However instead of celebrating through our wardrobe, we decided to celebrate the best way we knew how, through our bellies – because last years winter clothing more than likely doesn’t fit any of us anymore (except for our uggs). But then again, I should probably just speak for myself because I am pretty positive I’m the only one who doesn’t understand the meaning of self-control and who keeps a life time dispenser of tums on hand 24/7.

(((tum-tum-tum-tum-tuuuuuuums.)))

((((((((Focus))))))))))

This MEAL though.

Menu:

Maple & Rosemary Roasted Nuts – Anna w/ Urban Apron

Spiced Chickpeas  – Anna w/ Urban Apron

Brie with Thyme Roasted Pears and Grapes – Alex w/ Delish Knowledge

Bourbon & Cider Spiced Cocktail – Alex w/ Delish Knowledge

Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes (Click Link)

Garlic Croutons (Click Link)

Coconut Milk, Spice & Thyme Whole Roasted Cauliflower (below)

Chai Spiced Fig Cake – Amanda w/ Feed Me with Amanda

Brown Butter Apple Tart – Anna w/ Urban Apron

And then Amanda picked up the flowers from Trader Joes and I provided the plate settings from Crate & Barrel & West Elm (mix and match). For the place settings I just oven-dried pears 🙂

Needless to say all of the food was ridiculously good, I mean, really really good, so you should probably click on the links above to check out the other ladies recipes. All of these dishes were easy to prepare and make for an incredibly stress free evening. Especially if you drink the cocktail while preparing all of this. SUPER stress free then.

I did the roasted heirloom tomatoes and homemade garlic croutons (which are in an older post, click link) and roasted the cauliflower, which recipe is below. So for all you non meat eaters, this would be an easy main course that is also filling that almost anyone will enjoy.

Coconut Milk, Spice & Thyme Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Recipe Notes:

I used orange cauliflower, but plain ol’ white will do just fine. Did this for the aesthetics, duh.

I like to marinade my cauliflower in the coconut milk to ensure full flavor and a more tender cauli. So overnight is best!

Tenting the cauliflower with foil will create more steam to help tenderness as oppose to drying out (which I did the first time around, oops)

I served this with my homemade garlic croutons, which was perfect for soaking up the extra spiced coconut milk, roasted garlic and shallots.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Coconut Milk, Spice & Thyme Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  4 hours

Total time:  4 hours 10 mins

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Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, leaves & core removed
• 1 head garlic, top sliced off (do not peel)
• 3 shallots, quartered
• 1 can lite coconut milk
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp salt + more to taste
• 1 tsp pepper + more to taste
• Fresh Thyme Sprigs

Instructions

1. First, at least two hours (best overnight) before baking, soak your cauliflower in one can of coconut milk and store in fridge. One hour before baking remove from fridge and let sit at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Next in a baking dish (large enough to hold head of cauliflower) add your head of cauliflower. Rub with garam masala, marjoram, 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper and then pour remaining coconut milk left from marinade. Sprinkle with some fresh thyme springs.
4. Surrounding the cauliflower place quartered shallots & head of garlic (sliced side facing up) into baking dish.
5. Drizzle about 3 tbsp of olive oil all over cauliflower and entire dish.. Sprinkle again with a little salt and pepper.
6. Tent with non-stick foil to allow dish to steam (and to prevent a super dry head of cauliflower) and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and continue to let cauliflower roast for another 20-30 minutes, or until tender.
7. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
8. Quarter the head of cauliflower, and serve with roasted garlic cloves, shallots & homemade croutons (homemade croutons link in menu)

3.5.3208