The Institute of Culinary Education has teamed up with GrowNYC for a monthly series highlighting a seasonal ingredient at the farmers’ market.
The leaves are turning, the air is crisp and we're breaking out our finest flannel — we're in the throes of autumn. To celebrate the season, Lead Chef & Operations Manager Joshua Resnick is falling for cauliflower, making a quick side dish of seasoning florets with za'atar before tossing them in a silky miso-sesame sauce.
Looking for a more substantial vegetarian meal? Partake in the rage that is the cauliflower steak by cutting your head of cauliflower into thick slabs. The same set of directions still applies to the meatier steak: toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and za'atar before roasting in the oven and then drizzling the sauce over the finished product.
Related: What Is Za'atar Seasoning?
Bam — an umami bomb just landed at the table.
Ingredients
For the Za'atar Spice:
- 9 grams dried thyme
- 20 grams dried oregano
- 11 grams dried marjoram
- 30 drams sumac
- 60 grams toasted sesame seeds
For the Miso-Sesame Sauce:
- 125 grams tahini
- 30 grams white miso
- 35 grams red wine vinegar
- 90 grams water
For Assembly:
- 2 heads cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds
Directions
For the Za'atar Spice:
- Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight vessel.
For the Miso-Sesame Sauce:
- Whisk together all ingredients and store until ready for use.
For Assembly:
- Preheat a convection oven to 400˚F.
- Place cauliflower in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and za'atar spice; toss to combine.
- Transfer cauliflower to a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake until golden brown and the stems are tender, roughly 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer the hot cauliflower to a mixing bowl and dress with enough miso-sesame sauce to thoroughly coat. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with an extra drizzle of sauce and toasted sesame seeds.
