This roasted cauliflower is the signature dish from Ester Restaurant which is one of Sydney’s trendiest restaurants. It’s not like me to order a head of cauliflower at a restaurant but I’m so glad I did because it was sensational! So I was thrilled to find the chef’s recipe. And it’s SO easy to make!
Roasted Cauliflower
Ester Restaurant in Chippendale has been one of the hottest restaurants in Sydney for a couple of years now. I went there recently with low expectations, thinking that it would be another “trendy” restaurant that was big on cool factor but mediocre on delivery.
I love being proved wrong! (Eerm, well, for something like this!!) I was floored by how fantastic it was. Modern western food with a very subtle Asian twist which seems appropriate given the restauranteur, Mat Lindsay, is the former head chef of Billy Kwong (Kylie Kwong’s restaurant). Every dish had a little unexpected twist to it that gave it a “wow” factor. Nothing too drastic / try-hard / fancy, just little things. Like classic chargrilled prawns with burnt butter (delicious, but ordinary) transformed into knock-your-socks-off fantastic with the addition of a little tamari. I wanted to lick the plate but settled for mopping it clean with bread. Mind blowingly delicious. 
So this roasted cauliflower is from Ester Restaurant. It’s one of their signature dishes which I knew before I went, otherwise I can tell you for sure that I never would have ordered a roasted head of cauliflower at a restaurant.
And I am SO glad I did. It is seriously amazing how char grilling a cauliflower can transform a somewhat drab recipe into something worthy of being served at a two-hat restaurant (Australia’s answer to michelin star ratings).
I found the recipe on Gourmet Traveller Australia and it is the recipe from the restaurant. It is really easy to make. The restaurant serves it with an almond sauce which is quite rich, though you don’t use much. It’s like a mayonnaise made with almond meal. I’ve also made it with a yoghurt lemon sauce (diet food that’s big on flavour!) and a yoghurt tahini sauce (the creamy sesame flavour goes really well with the cauliflower) so I’ve provided those recipes as well because they are alternatives that are lighter as well as faster to make.
I don’t share much meat-free dishes. So when I do, you know there’s a good reason for it! – Nagi
More cauliflower recipes
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Roasted Cauliflower with Almond Sauce (Ester Restaurant)
Ingredients
Almond Sauce
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , separated
- 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar (or rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- Black pepper
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon , juice only
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup almonds , roughly chopped and lightly toasted in a dry frypan
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (packed)
Instructions
Almond Sauce
- Place the almond meal, water and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the almond meal starts to swell - around 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour the almond mixture into a blender or small food processor and whiz until smooth. Add brown rice vinegar and salt and whizz to mix.
- With the blender running, add the egg yolks then pour the oil in a thin stream. Keep whizzing while you pour and the sauce will become thick and creamy. Taste to check the salt and pepper, then set aside (keep at room temperature).
Roasted Cauliflower
- Cut the cauliflower into quarters (leaving most of the outer leaves on). Cut off a bit of the core, otherwise it won't cook through because it is thicker (see photo below).
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the cauliflower, bring back to boil then boil for 3 minutes. (Alternatively you could steam it.)
- Drain and leave the cauliflower to steam dry for 10 minutes. It also continues cooking.
- Preheat the grill/broiler on high and place the rack around 20cm/8" from the heat source.
- Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil then place under the grill/broiler for 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn the cauliflower and char the other side for a few minutes.
- Remove the cauliflower from under the grill/broiler and drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
To Serve
- Spread about 3/4 cup of the Almond Sauce on a plate. Place the cauliflower on top, sprinkle over the almonds and mint.
- This can be served warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Delicious , very quick and easy. Looks amazing on the table too. I had leftover almond sauce that I will definitely use on other vegetables another night this week!
Hiya , what or how do I make almond meal
I don’t know what could have possibly happened, but I broiled these on one side for almost 12 minutes, and then the other side for 8 minutes, but still barely got a char! I don’t know what I could be doing wrong!
Oh no Cassie – sounds like your oven needs to be slightly hotter!
Hi Nagi,
I want to try this dish as a side for Christmas lunch!!! I’m just thinking, my oven is going to be chockers with roast ham/duck/potato dauphinoise that I was wondering if I could get hubby to pop the cauliflower on the barbie (which would be a double win with one less thing for me to cook ;)) while I work on the sauce!?
Merry Christmas!
Made this a few times. It’s so versatile and I love serving the charred cauliflower with a green tahini sauce (lemony minty goodness).
Hi Nagi, I just wanted to check the olive oil amount to add to the sauce. The ingredients list mentions ‘3/4 cup + 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , separated’, though Step 1 says to add 2 tablespoons into the saucepan. Does that mean you should add 3/4 cup of oil into the blender at Step 3, or a bit less? 🙂
My daughter can’t have eggs. Can you suggest an egg yolk substitute for the sauce? It’s the only ingredient standing between me, and having this on our plates for dinner tonight
Hi Nicky! I’m sorry to say I don’t think it will work, it kind of works like a mayo so needs the egg to make it emulsify 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
I made the sauce today, haven’t done the cauliflower yet, but I used the sauce over other roasted veggies I had handy. It was creamy and delicious enough that I was licking the spoon after transferring to a bowl. However, I was surprised because the sauce tasted more strongly of the extra virgin olive oil rather than the almonds (and I only used 1/2 cup of oil to start and left it at that because I didn’t want to cut the almond flavor further.) Is this what it’s supposed to taste like? I am worried I may have missed some essential element during the heating process. I didn’t see my almond meal “swell” really, it just sort of bubbled.
I love all of your recipes Nagi and try to cook as many as I can! Thanks for the beautiful photos and many notes, they really help!
I haven’t made this in a while but I don’t recall the olive oil being so dominant! I wonder if you used a very strong tasting one?? The almond flavour isn’t dominant – not the way this recipe is made, but still, olive oil shouldn’t be over whelming! I do hope you enjoyed it anyway?? 🙂 thank you for you r kind words, I am so glad you are enjoying my recipes! N xx
I absolutely love cauliflower! I’ve been dying to try a recipe for a full head of roasted cauliflower. Thanks!
I hope you love this Chelsey!! It’s one of the signature dishes from Ester!
Just the other day my mother-in-law and I were discussing cooking/ baking whole cauliflower head but using Indian spices of course. Seeing this delicious post on the same with almond sauce, I am wondering if the universe is throwing me a hint 😛
It has all the flavors that I am so going to love. Thanks for sharing 🙂
OH MY GOSH!! I cannot imagine how awesome this would be made with Indian spices! Please please do!! I will be beside myself with excitement! 🙂
Ooo… I love cauliflower, but I’ve never had it like this! This is incredible! The recipe totally elevates this veggie from quiet side dish to full on rock star! I can’t wait to try that almond sauce – I’d put that on all sorts of roasted vegetables.
I know, right?? I was so not into the whole “whole roasted cauliflower” trend, but I’m totally converted now!! 🙂
Oooh … so unusual …. but now you’ve really made me want to try this!
I like the look of all three sauces, actually.
Just pinned this wildly … I bet it will do well on Pinterest 😉
I know, it’s unique isn’t it? I love restaurant recipes! I never wold have thought to try this!! 🙂
Woah, this recipe is crazy. CRAZY! I never would have put any of these ingredients together! On purpose, at least. 🙂 And yet I have all this stuff on hand most of the time, so clearly it’s time to have a go at it. Incredible! I love that you found a trendy (yet great) restaurant, ordered the House Special, then recreated it at home. Fancy stuff, Nagi!
I KNOW! That’s why this restaurant is SO awesome! I was the same, I literally picked up the recipe and BOOM, made it on the spot because I had everything!! 🙂
Cauliflower is just about the new superfood. I’m very pleased by that. It sure kicks kale out of the water.
This looks magnificent. I didn’t know how you were going to take pretty pictures of a cauliflower but you nailed it 🙂
Never thought I’d hear the words “Cauliflower” and “superfood” in the same sentence, I LOVE it! Thank you for your kind words Nicole. And I totally agree cauliflower pales in comparison to kale! I never did get into kale. Other than for some classic Italian dishes. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend Nicole!!
Nagi, cauliflower charred! YUM! I am not familiar with almond meal. Is it something I would buy or is it almonds blended into a paste? This recipe sounds delicious. I bet the ‘non taste’ of the cauliflower picks up on the flavor’s so well. I always think of cauliflower as a vehicle that grabs great flavor from whatever you put on it (rather like rice), whether it is cheese sauce or cauliflower rice. This is a definite MAKING since it will be SPRING SUMMER in the States now- wah wah to you! haha
Lisa from a sunny, warm spring filled evening 🙂 in Portland/
Hi Lisa! I agree with you, it is a flavour sucker once it’s been cooked!! Almond meal is simply ground almonds and you can get it either in the baking section (amongst flour etc) or in the health food section of supermarkets. It’s what people use to make gluten free cakes. 🙂 SO happy to hear that it is warming up in P-town but not happy you are stealing my summer! 🙂
I grew up eating a lot of cauliflower…my mom was the fritter master! So this, I know I would love! Especially with the almond sauce! Plus – it’s just so gosh darn beautiful!! I couldn’t resist!
Hmmm….cauliflower fritter…..you have me thinking now! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this easy recipe – I love it when I can re-create restaurant dishes too (for a fraction of the price!). Funnily, I used to hate cauliflower but now I’m addicted to it. The close up shot of the cauliflower looks utterly delicious
Thanks Natalie! I must admit, I don’t get overly excited by cauliflower generally….this has changed me! 🙂
Hi Nagi! I love roasted vegetables, especially cauliflower! Unfortunately, my husband isn’t crazy about them that way, but he goes back to MI on business trips every couple of months and then I make all the stuff I really love! And the almond sauce OH YEAH!
YES to the almond sauce!! It totally MAKES this dish Dorothy!! Though I have to say, roasted cauliflower is pretty darn yum plain. 🙂
What a wonderful recipe to share! I love roasted cauliflower. Because of the calorie content, I would be far more likely to make your sauce variations than the original (that just seems like waaaaaayyy too much oil). But would also try the original and just serve very little of it.
And that’s exactly why I provided the variations 🙂 It is alot of oil, but actually, per serving you don’t end up using much. You don’t need much, the cauliflower is so yum even plain! Who knew some burnt bits could totally transform cauliflower?!
What a great dish Nagi! Love cauliflower! Never cooked it in quarters, but will definitely do! Love the pictures 🙂
Thanks Mira! I KNEW you would like this. Meat free heaven!! 🙂