Cauliflower Shawarma

I absolutely love the cookbook Israeli Soul by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook.  It is filled with gorgeous photos and information on the area making it part travel guide, but also filled with amazing recipes for some of my favorite dishes, breads and spice blends.

I tried the Cauliflower Shawarma and it is a deeply satisfying meatless meal that even the big guy enjoyed.

Brine for the cauliflower:

2 quarts water

2 cups kosher salt

2 tablespoons of Shawarma spice mix (recipe below)

1 head of cauliflower

Shawarma spice mix for vegetables:

1/4 cup turmeric

1/4 cup cumin

1/4 cup cinnamon 

1 tablespoon of allspice

1 tablespoon of black pepper

Mix well.  Makes about 1 cup of spice blend.

Mix together the water, salt and 1 tablespoon of the Shawarma spice in a large pot.  Warm over medium heat, whisking often, until the salt is fully dissolved.  Let the mixture cool completely.  Brine the cauliflower in the spiced water for two hours at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Add 2 tablespoons of a neutral oil to the remaining spice blend and stir well to form a paste.  Remove cauliflower from the brine and pat dry then rub most of the spice paste over it, saving a spoonful for searing if you like.  Transfer the cauliflower to sheet pan and roast for 45 minutes or until browned and tender.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven, let it cool a little, then carve and serve.  Or cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, transfer to a large bowl, add the remaining spice paste and toss well.  Sear the florets in a very hot cast-iron pan for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely charred.

I actually did this on the charcoal grill.  I got the grill up to 450 degrees and placed the sheet pan on it and it took about 40 minutes this way.  Then I finished up in a cast-iron pan also on the grill.  

We ate this with Basmati rice and mountain bread.  The cauliflower is filled with warm spices and is tender with some of the char that gives it extra flavor.  I had a bit left over and heated it up in the Ninja on the reheat setting and it was just as good the second day.

It seems like every time I try a new to me recipe I get so involved that I forget to take a picture.  This is the picture from the book.