Crispy Cauliflower with Calabrian Chili Mayo

There is something about cauliflower when it is roasted. The sugars in the cauliflower begin to caramelize and each nook and cranny turns golden brown. The cauliflower is crispy and golden in all corners and the originally hard florets are transformed into soft, crispy pieces of heaven. When served alongside a Calabrian chili dip, they are so delicious. This crispy cauliflower with Calabrian chili mayo is full of flavor, texture and turns cauliflower into the star of the show.

Crispy Cauliflower Ingredients:

Cauliflower: We like using a mixture of cauliflowers to make this dish look even more special. In this case, we used purple and yellow cauliflower but if you cannot find these, any cauliflower will do.

Japanese Mayo: The Calabrian chili mayo calls for kewpie (or Japanese) mayonnaise as opposed to traditional mayonnaise. Japanese mayo is different in flavor and texture than American mayonnaise. The flavor is sweeter and slightly tangier. The texture is thicker and richer than American mayonnaise. The main difference between the two can be seen in the color (Japanese version is more yellow). Japanese mayonnaise only uses the egg yolks while American mayonnaise uses the whole egg. The richer, more flavorful mayonnaise makes everything that much more delicious so we prefer to use this version when we can. 

Japanese mayonnaise can usually be found in international aisles of grocery stores or speciality stores. If you cannot find kewpie mayonnaise, this recipe can easily be made with american mayonnaise. 

Calabrian Chilis: Calabrian chili peppers are a type of pepper from the Calabria region of Italy. They are a medium-hot chili but are packed with flavor. Unlike cayenne or other chilis that only provide heat, these add sweetness and additional flavor to anything they are in. Due to this flavor, they can be found in pastes or other varieties. In this recipe we used a crushed version, but if pastes or whole peppers can only be found, they can be swapped in. We use these in just about everything from on top of eggs to piled onto salads. They have so much flavor and make everything delicious. 

Roasted Garlic: We could eat roasted garlic by the clove. As garlic gets roasted, it loses some of the punch and gains sweetness as the cloves caramelize. To make a head of roasted garlic, simply chop off the top of the heat and drizzle with olive oil. This gets tossed in as the cauliflower roasts for a delicious addition to the mayo. There will be some garlic cloves left over. The roasted garlic can be added to salad dressing mashed with olive oil for bread or served alongside charcuterie. There is very little that roasted garlic does not make more delicious.

Lemon Zest: Lemon zest adds so much flavor and brightness to the mayonnaise. Although juice could be added, the zest keeps the sweetness while still adding a lemon flavor. The zest also keeps the thickness of the mayonnaise. To zest the lemon simply use a microplane and only zest the lemon peel, not the white pith. The white pith is bitter so ensure just the peel is zested.

How to make the crispy cauliflower with Calabrian chili mayo:

Making the cauliflower could not be easier. All it takes is a quick roast of the cauliflower in a hot oven. Remove the leaves and stem of the cauliflower and cut it into florets. Place the chopped cauliflower on a sheet tray and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper onto the coated cauliflower. Place the cauliflower into a 425 degree F oven and roast until golden brown. The cauliflower should be soft and golden throughout. 

To roast the garlic:

To roast a head of garlic, simply chop off the top of the garlic bulb. Place the bulb in a piece of foil and drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on the head. Wrap the garlic tightly and throw it onto the cauliflower tray. Roast for about 20 minutes on 425 with the cauliflower. When the tray is removed, unwrap the garlic. The cloves inside will be soft and golden brown. Push out the garlic cloves by pressing the bottom of the head and pushing upwards. The cloves will pop out hole. Some will be used for the mayonnaise but the rest can be enjoyed. 

Making the mayonnaise:

To make the mayonnaise smash 4-6 roasted garlic cloves with a fork until a paste is formed. Add in the mayonnaise, chopped Calabrian chilis, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Mix until well combined. 

Putting it all together: 

To serve the cauliflower, plate the cauliflower with a side of the mayo and enjoy!

Print

Crispy Cauliflower with Calabrian Chili Mayo

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Cauliflower

• 1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Roasted Garlic

• 1 head of garlic drizzled with olive oil

Calabrian Chili Mayonnaise

• ½ cup kewpie Japanese mayo
• 5 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Zest of ½ lemon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425
• Place cauliflower onto a pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss together until evenly coated and combined
• Cut off the top part of an entire head of garlic (just so the majority of the clovers are barely exposed. Place in a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Fold the foil tightly closed to form a ball with no garlic exposed or oil leaking. Place it on the sheet tray with the cauliflower
• Roast the cauliflower and garlic for 20 minutes until the cauliflower are crispy and golden
• Get a small bowl and mash 5 cloves of the roasted garlic with a fork. Add in Kewpie mayo (or regular mayo if you cannot find this), Calabrian chopped chili, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Stir it until evenly combined (this can also be done in a food processor)
• Serve roasted cauliflower alongside a side of the Calabrian chili mayo

Notes:

1. Sauce: We like putting the spicy sauce on the side to dress up this simple cauliflower, but the cauliflower is great on its own or with other sauces
2. Cauliflower: We used rainbow cauliflower in this recipe but any cauliflower will work 

Entertainer’s Note:

This mayo is the perfect spread for just about everything. Serve it on top of paninis, roasted veggies, or as a dip.