Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Cheddar Dip Food

ROASTED GARLIC CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.
• Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.

GARLIC WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Trim the cauliflower: Cut the stem flush with the bottom. Cut a few slits into the core extending into the thick branches of the cauliflower (keep the florets intact). Put 3 thyme sprigs, the smashed garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds and peppercorns on a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle. Combine 12 cups water, the celery, shallot, lemon zest, wine, sugar, 1/3 cup salt and the cheesecloth bundle in a pot large enough to submerge the cauliflower. Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the salt and sugar. Carefully add the cauliflower core-side down and cook until there is a slight resistance when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. (It's OK if the top of the cauliflower pops up during cooking.) Remove the cauliflower to a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, make the garlic oil: Combine the remaining 3 thyme sprigs, the sliced garlic, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts browning, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard the thyme. Brush the cauliflower with half of the oil, leaving the sliced garlic behind.
• Roast the cauliflower until browned and tender, 30 to 40 minutes, brushing halfway through with the remaining garlic oil; reserve 1 teaspoon garlic oil and the sliced garlic.
• Transfer the cauliflower to a cutting board or platter using a spatula. Add the parsley to the reserved garlic oil and spoon over the cauliflower. Cut into wedges.

CAULIFLOWER DIP

Steps:

• Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
• Preheat the oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with foil. Also, lightly mist a small/medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic, and place each of the heads onto a small square of foil. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil, wrap tightly, and place into the hot oven directly onto the wire rack.
• Next, toss the cauliflower florets with a generous drizzle of the olive oil, a good pinch of salt, a pinch of the black pepper, a pinch of the cayenne pepper, about 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika, and the onion and garlic granules, and turn it out onto the foil-lined baking sheet.
• Place the baking sheet into the oven next to the foil-wrapped garlic roughly 10 minutes after the garlic was put in, and roast together for 30 minutes more, until cauliflower is slightly charred and soft, and garlic is soft and aromatic.
• Remove the cauliflower and garlic heads from the oven, and keep the oven on.
• Unwrap the garlic heads from the foil to allow them to cool to room temp before squeezing them from their papers and smashing them into a paste with a knife or fork. Allow the cauliflower florets to cool as well, and then very finely chop them. Set both aside for a moment while you prepare the base of the dip.
• In a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, the sour cream, the mayo, the grated parmesan, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar/gruyere blend, the parsley, lemon zest, herbes de Provence, the white wine, another good pinch of salt (about 3/4 teaspoon), and another pinch of cayenne pepper, and fold those ingredients together until fairly smooth and well combined.
• Next, add in the chopped baby spinach, the chopped cauliflower and the roasted garlic paste, and fold those in until well incorporated.
• Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking dish, smooth the top out a bit, and sprinkle over the remainder of the shredded cheddar/gruyere cheese.
• Sprinkle another little pinch of the herbes de Provence and paprika over the cheese, and bake in the oven for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. To finish, sprinkle with a touch of the chopped parsley, and serve hot with corn chips or choice of accompaniment.