Cauliflower “Shawarma” Party! (Veg-friendly)

Yes, you CAN brine vegetables AND a head of cauliflower is a great place to start.  Brining vegetables works in much the same way as brining protein - it ensures that the food is properly seasoned and holds onto moisture that might otherwise be lost during the cooking process. Enough nerdy stuff. What you need to know is that this technique is a super fun way to take a seemingly unimpressive hunk of cauliflower and turn it into a stoke inducing centerpiece. Serve with warm pita and accouterments... sorry... “AKOOTERMENTS,” and boom. You have yourself a fun, veg-friendly feast for your friends and/or fam. As usual, I hope you dig and let me know if you have any questions. You got disss.🤘🏼 Adam

P.S. This recipe was barrowed from the legendary Israeli chef Michael Solomonov and his book Israeli Soul. You should defintely go check it out, it’s a great book on Levantine cuisine.

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Cauliflower Shawarma

Ingredients

Quick-Brined Cauliflower

• 2 quarts Water
• 2 cups Kosher Salt
• 2 Tbsp Favorite Spice Paste, divided
• 2 pound Head of Cauliflower, leaves trimmed
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Toppings

• Tomato, diced
• Cucumber, diced
• Dill Pickles, diced
• Parsley, chopped
• Napa Cabbage, sliced thin
• Harrisa (Maghreb Pepper Paste)
• Schug (Yemeni Hot Sauce)
• Tahini Sauce

Instructions

1. Stir water, salt and 1 tbsp of your favorite spice blend together in a container large enough to fit the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. 2. Preheat the oven to 450F. Mix remaining spices with olive oil and rub all over cauliflower. Situate the cauliflower on a tin-foil lined sheet tray sitting upwards. Roast until deeply browned, about 40-45 minutes.
3. 3. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let cool slightly. Slice into steaks, then sear each with a little oil in a hot skillet over high heat until browned. Slice thinly on the bias. Serve with pita and toppings and CRUSH!