Ever since I got Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem from the library I’ve been craving these flavors. Ok, maybe the cravings preceded the book rental…I suppose I’ve been on the tahini train for a few months now.
The kids demanded I buy this cauliflower when we ran into the store for one thing last week. It was so beautiful I said yes right away and then thought up ways to use it.
The color doesn’t even come through in the pictures as vividly as it did in person. It was nature’s beauty ON DISPLAY.
I decided to roast it and make a tahini sauce to pour over it.
And then on the side, a recipe I had been eyeing from Ottolenghi (which I own but haven’t cooked nearly enough out of considering how stellar the few things I have made have been). I just found out recently that Ottolenghi has a new book that came out and looks awesome, called Simple.
Anyway, back to this butternut squash recipe.
It was a bit of a mathematic headache to figure out the timing for all the different things I was roasting and toasting – between the eggplant (broiled for an hour!!) and the cauli and squash and seeds.
It all worked out, but I was changing temps and hovering around the oven more than I usually do for a week night recipe.
At least the sauces were all able to be prepped ahead.
I swapped plain almond milk yogurt for the Greek yogurt which is probably a massive crime, but I wanted the whole family to enjoy it without worrying about the amount P was getting before I dosed him for dairy at that same meal.
That’s the charred eggplant in there, along with some other kitchen staples…nothing too fancy or exotic.
White sauce dinner much?
I had hummus too, as well as the tahini sauce I whipped up (nothing more than tahini, honey, water, and salt). I went to use maple syrup and it had MOLD in it!? What the what??? How does that happen? It was nearly new and anyway I thought pure sugar was basically a preservative and it couldn’t grow stuff. Apparently I should be storing my maple syrup in the fridge (thanks google)? I had no idea! I’ve always stored it in the pantry! Should I be doing this with agave and honey as well?
I served the kids’ meals with pita bread and we all dipped away to our hearts’ content.
The eggplant sauce was soooo good. Ottolenghi wins again!
Ready to travel to Jerusalem!
What a dreamy dinner….! His new cookbook sounds really awesome, especially since it’s aim is to make hos food yet more simplified. I have really loved the recipes i have made of his, especially the mujadara and crazy amazing (labor intensive!) cauliflower “cake” but easier is always welcome.
What a spectacular color cauliflower! That color really is crazy.