Tomato Roasted Cauliflower Tagine #WeekdaySupper

2015 is starting off cold, windy and rainy but things will start to look toasty and warm with my newest recipe. The January theme for #WeekdaySupper is A Lighter New Year and my recipe packs a lot of flavor and punch to wake up your weekday dinner.

My Tomato Roasted Cauliflower Tagine turned out beautifully. What's a tagine, you ask? A tagine (pronounced tah-JEAN) is a conical dish, typically made of clay or enameled silicone, that is used to roast vegetables and meat in an oven. The shape of the dish facilitates self-basting. A tagine also refers to the actual meal cooked inside it as well. You don't own a tagine, you say? Me either. You are welcome to use a Dutch oven or other oven-safe covered dish. The results will be the same.

I made this tagine for my mother and she couldn't get enough! It's definitely going into the Nik Snacks' Family rotation. I was inspired by a dish I had back in November at Le Cordon Bleu-Las Vegas during a Bleu Ribbon Kitchen demonstration. We were served cauliflower that had been sauteed in sesame oil, a fresh tomato sauce and chickpeas that were garnished with preserved lemon and olives. I really have an affinity for North and East African cuisine. 

Little Known Fact: I was a vegetarian through most of high school and college. Even now, I really dig the vegetables. Instead of a meat and three, I lean toward just the "three". I feel that vegetables have built-in flavor and you don't have to cook them or transform them much to enjoy them. 

Vegetarian meals don't have to be predictable and boring either. With this recipe, buttery cauliflower florets are tossed in a North African-inspired spice blend and kissed with plump, olives, tangy preserved lemon and chopped tomatoes. Served with couscous or rice and it's the perfect healthy weeknight meal. Add chickpeas or serve with quinoa to boost the protein and you'll have a balanced meal. Roasted in a Dutch oven or a traditional tagine, you'll have dinner on the table in no time at all.

Tomato Roasted Cauliflower Tagine

Adapted from Thomas Keller's Crispy Chicken Thighs from "Ad Hoc at Home"

Serves 4

Spice Mix

3 ½ tablespoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ginger powder

½ tablespoon ground cardamom

2 teaspoons ground allspice

Tagine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons spice mix

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 can San Marzano-style tomatoes, low sodium, drained

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

1 large white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 pinch saffron

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups stock (veggie, chicken or beef) homemade or low-sodium

3 tablespoons preserved lemons, roughly chopped

1 cup green olives

½ bunch cilantro or parsley, leaves picked and stems discarded.

Preheat oven to 450F. 
Combine the spice mix spices in a large, dry sauté pan set over medium heat, and toast them gently until they become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cauliflower with the salt, pepper and the olive oil.

Turn up the pan's heat to medium-high and saute the cauliflower until the florets are browned. Remove the cauliflower to a large Dutch oven or tagine pot. 

Reduce heat below the saute pan to medium, add tomato paste and deglaze the pan with the stock. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and saffron and stir to combine. 

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, stir in the tomatoes, preserved lemon and olives, cover the pot and transfer to oven to cook for 20 minutes. Serve the cauliflower garnished with the cilantro or parsley leaves, over couscous or rice. 

NOTE: Preserved lemon can be made at home, but it takes a month. Find a great recipe here. No time for preserved lemon? Use dried lemon peel, found in the spice aisle. 

Try these great ideas for Weekday Supper from The Sunday Supper Group!

Monday - Spaghetti with Meatball Pearls by Crazy Foodie Stunts
Tuesday - Chicken Salad Sandwich by A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
Wednesday - Pulled Pork Tacos with Harvest Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Friday - Egg Drop Soup by The Foodie Army Wife
Find more great ideas for Weekday Suppers on our Weekday Supper Pinterest Board !