Cauliflower in a pot

Cauliflower in a pot with lemony orzo

This recipe is inspired by the great Nigella Lawson’s charming ‘Chicken in a pot’ recipe from her delightfully warm book Cook, Eat, Repeat. My version is without the chicken, replacing it with a whole head of cauliflower. I adore a one pot wonder, especially one that requires minimal chopping. This recipe relies upon time and high heat to produce a heavenly cauliflower that is golden on the outside and tender on the inside, nestled within a blanket of aromatic orzo. This recipe is adaptable – add some winter greens like chopped chard or kale leaves along with the orzo or stir through some baby spinach leaves at the end to let them wilt in the residual heat. You could also use a spice blend like harissa, shawarma or ras el hanout in place of the paprika and cumin. I like to use two lemons but one will suffice if you’d like it less zesty.

Note, if your cauliflower is smaller or larger, you will need to adjust cooking time - ensure that it is tender inside before adding the o

Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower (about 1.7 pounds / 760g)
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp butter or vegan butter
• 1 leek, finely sliced and washed
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound (454g) orzo (risoni)
• big handful dill or parsley, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 lemons, halved

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Arrange a shelf towards the bottom the oven, ensuring there is enough room for the pot.

2. Trim the base of the cauliflower so that it sits flat and the stem is not too thick. Place cauliflower on plate or board and drizzle over about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter over the cumin and smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and a few turns of black pepper. Massage it into the cauliflower until it is well coated.

3. Place a large Dutch oven or deep, wide ovenproof pan on medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, butter and leeks and season with a big pinch of salt. Stir for 1 minutes until the butter is melted and the leeks slightly softened. Add the garlic and stir.  Push leeks and garlic to the sides and place the cauliflower into middle. Place into the oven and for 20 minutes.

4. Remove the pot from the oven and give the leeks a stir. Pour the vegetable stock over the leeks, around the sides of the cauliflower (avoid pouring it directly onto the cauliflower). Increase heat to 450˚F (230˚C) and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and check the cauliflower for doneness by inserting a small knife or bamboo skewer into the center of the cauliflower and through the middle stem – if it comes out easily, it is done; if it still feels firm, return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until skewer comes out easily.

5. When the cauliflower is ready, scatter the orzo around the sides, into the vegetable stock. Stir to loosen it up, allowing the orzo to spread evenly through the stock. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, and scatter the dill or parsley over the orzo. Squeeze lemon over everything and stir the orzo. Drizzle over some olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and serve.