Roasted Cauliflower Fatteh

One of the main reasons I love to travel is to explore a different cuisine. In fact, I spend quite a bit of time researching some of the best dishes before visiting that city. Most recently I had the opportunity to revisit Boston. Even though I attended college there, I was a poor college student and didn't have the chance to eat out often. And so, I made sure to check out as many restaurants as I could including Sarma, a local Mediterranean eatery. I was amazed at the quality of the dishes, so much so that I came home and immediately tried to replicate their roasted cauliflower fatteh. My version has different elements than the original but wow, is it delicious!

Recipe

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Roasted Cauliflower Fatteh

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Mexican

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 2

Author: Cherry on My Sundae

Ingredients

Braised black beans

• 1 14- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
• ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 black garlic
• 1 canned chipotle plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper

Roasted cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Avocado crema

• 1 avocado skin and pit removed
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup cilantro
• juice of ½ lime
• salt and pepper

Remaining ingredients

• ¼ cup toasted pita bread
• 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoon pine nuts toasted
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• maldon salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the black beans with chicken or vegetable stock, black garlic, chipotle and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, and cumin in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Season the beans with salt and pepper. Mash the black garlic and chipotle until it's dissolved into the beans. Set aside and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets and toss with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the thick part of the stems are tender, tossing once halfway through.
• While the cauliflower is roasting, make the avocado crema. Blend together the avocado with yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread the avocado crema on the bottom of a serving plate. Spoon the braised black beans on top along with the roasted cauliflower. Garnish with toasted pita chips, pine nuts, and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of maldon salt. Serve immediately.

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

This roasted cauliflower fatteh is what I believe to be, a truly flavorful dish. Everything from the creamy braised black beans to the avocado crema to the crispy pita to the spiced cauliflower, they all work so well together.

Start by making the braised black beans since they take the longest to make. Combine the black beans with chicken or vegetable stocks, black garlic, chipotle and its sauces, and cumin. Black garlic is a type of aged garlic that almost tastes like balsamic vinegar. It'll add a wonderful sweetness to the beans.

Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Mash the black garlic and stir it with the beans, really incorporating all those flavors together. Keep the beans warm while you prepare the remaining components.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets and toss them with all the spices including paprika, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. We want to heavily season the cauliflower since it has a naturally subtle taste.

Spread the vegetable on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until the thick stems are fork-tender.

While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the avocado crema. All you have to do is blend the avocado with yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice. It's almost like a guacamole but creamier!

For the toppings, toast some pine nuts and pita bread to make homemade pita chips. You can use storebought pita chips but I much prefer homemade ones.

Now spread the avocado cream on the serving plate and top with the roasted cauliflower and braised black beans. Top the dish with pita chips, pine nuts, and fresh chopped parsley. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and finish with a sprinkling of Maldon salt.

If this cauliflower fatteh doesn't make you love cauliflower, I'm not sure what will! The entire dish is an explosion of flavors and textures. This is now, without a doubt, one of my favorite ways to prepare cauliflower.

For more cauliflower inspiration check out this roasted cauliflower with harissa date gremolata recipe!