Roasted Chimichurri Cauliflower with Tomatillo Salsa
If you have not noticed, these days Mexican food and flavors have been calling my name! But if you are also like me and trying to incorporate more vegetables instead of carbs into your Mexican eats, this dish does it right. It is pretty, low carb and still manages to pack so much flavor into each bite. You start with a base of spiced & roasted cauliflower that is then tossed in cilantro chimichurri and then drizzled (or drenched if you please) with fresh tomatillo salsa. It can be a surprising & memorable side to your tacos or stand all on its own (especially if you are a vegan or vegetarian, put it in a corn tortilla and call it a meal)!
Serves 4
1 cauliflower head (florets chopped into bite sized pieces)
spice mix (2 tbsp chili powder + 1 tbsp cumin seeds + 2 tsp of each: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika + salt)
olive oil for coating cauliflower
For chimichurri:
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro stems
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
2-3 grated garlic cloves
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
zest of 1 lime
For tomatillo salsa:
4 tomatillos (husks removed)
3 garlic cloves (I leave the peel on)
1/4 of a medium white or yellow onion
1 serrano pepper (seeded if you are sensitive to spice)
1/2 cup cilantro (leaves and stems)
Method
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Prepare tomatillo salsa: Heat a cast iron or nonstick pan on medium-high heat and char the tomatillos, onion, garlic and serrano pepper. Rotate until both sides develop a charred or blistered exterior (about 10-15 minutes depending on how hot your pan gets) then transfer to a blender. Blend with cilantro until you get a nice liquid consistency and no lumps remain. Add salt to taste and set aside. Note: if your salsa is very thick (will depend how juicy your tomatillos are) you can thin it out with a little bit of water and olive oil. This will allow you to drizzle it once it is time to use it.
Prepare cauliflower by tossing in spice mix and coating well with olive oil. Spread out on two baking sheets (they should not touch, otherwise they will steam instead of roast). Set aside until your oven is preheated and roast for 40 minutes, checking half way and tossing so both sides roast evenly. Check 20 minutes before to ensure they do not burn (depends on your oven strength).
While your cauliflower is roasting, prepare the chimichurri by combining the ingredients above in a bowl or jar and allowing to sit for at least 30 minutes.
Once your cauliflower is nicely roasted, toss with the chimichurri and spoon on a plate. Now you can either drizzle the tomatillo salsa on top or dip the cauliflower bites in the salsa for some major flavor. Enjoy!
