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Roasted Cauliflower Rarebit with Pickled Shallots

Roasted Cauliflower Rarebit with Pickled Shallots

This Roasted Cauliflower Rarebit features a whole roasted cauliflower covered in a blistered ale and cheddar sauce crowned with rye croutons, pickled shallots, and fresh chives and dill.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet
  • 1 mortar and pestle
  • 1 small saucepan
  • 1 Small Baking Sheet

Ingredients
  

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

  • 1 head cauliflower tough outer leaves removed
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp dried mustard
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Cheddar Ale Sauce

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3½ tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 355 ml (12 fl oz) beer *** I used an ale
  • 200g (7oz) sharp cheddar shredded
  • 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard heaping
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Garnishes

  • 1 large shallot sliced into thin wedges
  • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 slices light rye bread
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • ¼ cup fresh chives finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill coarsely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large cast-iron skillet with parchment paper and place the cauliflower in the center. Set it aside.
    1 head cauliflower
  • Add the garlic and salt to your mortar and pestle. **** Once the garlic is reduced to a paste, scrap it into a bowl and add the mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, mustard powder, paprika, and cayenne. Whisk in the olive oil.
    4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp dried mustard, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp cayenne, ¼ cup olive oil
  • Rub the cauliflower all over with the spice paste. Once it’s thoroughly coated, cover it with tin foil and place it in the oven. Leave the cauliflower to roast, covered for 50 minutes to an hour. 
  • While the cauliflower is roasting, place the shallots in a bowl and cover them with white balsamic vinegar. Set them aside to pickle at room temperature for the duration of the recipe.
    1 large shallot, ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • Arrange the rye bread slices on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with a good amount of olive oil and give them a sprinkling of salt. Transfer the slices to the oven to roast alongside the cauliflower for 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes have passed, flip the slices and roast for 10 minutes more.
    2 slices light rye bread
  • When the slices are golden on both sides, take them out of the oven and rub them all over with the garlic. Break the toast up a bit with your hands and deposit the pieces into a large food processor. Plus the slices until you’re left with a mixture of fine and chunky bread crumbs. Set them aside.
    1 clove garlic
  • By now your cauliflower should be nearing the end of its initial roast. Take the cauliflower out of the oven and remove the tin foil.***** Return the cauliflower to the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until lightly charred on the surface.
  • While the cauliflower is roasting for the second time, make the Cheddar Ale Sauce. In a small saucepan melt the butter. Add the all-purpose flour to the butter and whisk to combine to create a roux. Gradually whisk the beer into the roux.
    2 tbsp unsalted butter, 3½ tbsp all-purpose flour, 355 ml (12 fl oz) beer ***
  • Once the beer has been added, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and leave it to thicken slightly. Add the cheddar and stir until the cheese melts into the sauce. Finally, stir in the whole-grain mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt if it needs it. Take the sauce off of the heat and set it aside
    200g (7oz) sharp cheddar, 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • When the cauliflower is done roasting, take it out of the oven and set the oven to broil. Ladle some of the cheese sauce over top of the cauliflower. You’ll likely need only a few ladles worth of the cheese sauce for this. Once the cheese sauce is on the cauliflower, quickly return it to the oven and broil until the cheese bubbles and blisters. You may have to rotate your cauliflower every so often to ensure it’s browning relatively evenly.
  • Once your Roast Cauliflower Rarebit is browned evenly, take it out of the oven and transfer it to a platter. Top the cauliflower with the rye breadcrumbs some freshly chopped chives, the shallots you pickled earlier, and fresh dill. Warm the remaining cheese sauce and serve it alongside the Roast Cauliflower Rarebit for dipping. 
    ¼ cup fresh chives, ¼ cup fresh dill

Notes

** Feel free to swap the mortar and pestle for a food processor.
*** I used a nice light ale for this but I would imagine an amber or even a stout would work just as well. But bear in mind if you use stout, it will alter the color of your finished sauce.
**** The salt will not only season our finished paste but will also act as a grinding agent that will help us break down our garlic.
***** If you’re unsure of the doneness of your cauliflower, you can carefully flip it and pierce the core with a fork. It should be tender but with a little rigidity.
Keyword beer, cauliflower, cheddar, chives, dill, shallots