While cauliflower is a versatile vegetable, I always gravitate towards thick wedges basted in a delicious sauce, such as this chile-walnut cauliflower. The cool-weather vegetable turns into a tender bit, soaking up every bit of flavor.
Chile Walnut Cauliflower
I find it natural to pair cauliflower with walnuts as seasoning; they line up in the fall. The slightly tannic walnuts are a delightful pairing for the delicate brassicas’ flavor. Add chile and a bit of red miso, and it’s just a solid combination.
Cauliflower alternatives
At this time of year, I often cook sweet potatoes, winter squash, or broccoli in a similar way to this cauliflower. Cut your chosen vegetable into ½”-thick wedges, steam until just tender, and follow the instructions for the cauliflower.
Inspiration
This walnut paste is deeply inspired by the ssamjang recipe in Hooni Kim’s excellent book, My Korea. In Kim’s ssamjang recipe, he used doenjang (Korean soybean paste), gochujang, sesame seeds, sesame oil, walnuts, and scallions.
One day I was craving the ssamjang but had run out of doenjang. I went with what I had, which was red miso. The result was delicious in its own way and made the perfect punchy companion for this charred cauliflower.
Chile-walnut Paste
This walnut paste is quite versatile. You can braise or roast other vegetables and coat them in the mix, make a veggie-heavy sandwich and use it as a spread along with a bit of mayo, stir it into some cashew cream to make a lovely dip, or use it with simple noodles and wilted greens. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Cauliflower
- ¾ pound cauliflower (about half of a large head)
- Olive oil for brushing
Chile-Walnut Paste
- 3 tablespoons (20 g) toasted and finely chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) red miso
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) walnut oil
- 1 (20 g) small shallot (minced)
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Scallions for topping
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For the cauliflower: Trim off the leaves and a small part of the stem, leaving as much stem intact as possible. Cut the cauliflower into 8 wedges, making sure to include part of the stem in each wedge. Don’t worry if pieces fall off—use them too. Heat about 1 inch of water in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket over medium-high heat. Place the cauliflower in the basket, cover, and cook until a knife pierces the cauliflower without hesitation, about 4-5 minutes. Carefully remove the cauliflower from the basket, place on a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron works great here), and brush with olive oil. Transfer to a pizza oven or an oven rack with a preheated broiler, cooking until the cauliflower is charred.
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For the chile-walnut paste: Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Alternatively, if you’d like a smoother paste, use a mortar and pestle or a food processor to blend everything together.
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For the scallions: Here’s another technique I picked up from Kim’s book. Start by thinly slicing the scallions on a bias. Place them in a colander and run under cold water for a few minutes to rinse off any slime, then transfer to a clean towel. Gently dry the scallions as well as you can, then transfer to a separate towel to air-dry for 10 more minutes. If prepping the scallions in advance, store them in the refrigerator with a small towel or paper towel in a sealed container.
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To assemble: Spread the walnut paste over the top sides of the cauliflower. Flip, and repeat on the other sides. If any florets break off, toss them in the paste as well. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving bowl and top with the scallions.
