Cauliflower Roasted With Grapes, Almonds and Curry

Preparation

1. Curry Oil

   1. Step 1

      Heat 1 cup of the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the apple, onion and lemongrass, sweating until translucent, without caramelizing, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, and lightly toast with the vegetables for 2 minutes.

   2. Step 2

      Add the remaining oil and the makrut lime leaf and heat the oil to 160 degrees.

   3. Step 3

      Remove from the heat, cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter. Makes 2 cups.

2. Brown Butter

   1. Step 4

      Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes. At this point, the butter should be clear and a light caramel color.

   2. Step 5

      Continue to simmer the butter, and whisk vigorously until the color is walnut brown. Place the thyme and garlic in a chinois lined with cheesecloth. Strain the Brown Butter over the thyme and garlic. Makes 1½ cups.

3. Roasted Cauliflower

   1. Step 6

      Slice 4 cross sections of the cauliflower, each ⅜ inch thick. The cross sections should have the florets intact.

   2. Step 7

      Cut each slice in half lengthwise, yielding 8 pieces. Reserve the remainder of the cauliflower to use in the Cauliflower Purée (see below).

   3. Step 8

      To roast the cauliflower, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 2 large oven-safe sauté pans over high heat and divide the Curry Oil and Brown Butter between the 2 pans. Place 4 pieces of cauliflower in each pan and lower the heat to medium.

   4. Step 9

      Sear the cauliflower for about 4 minutes on each side so that both sides are evenly browned, continuously basting the cauliflower with the hot Curry Oil and Brown Butter. Transfer the 2 pans to the oven and roast until the cauliflower is cooked through and dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with the salt.

4. Sous Vide Cauliflower

   1. Step 10

      Slice 4 cross sections of the cauliflower, each ⅜ inch thick. The cross sections should have the florets intact.

   2. Step 11

      Use a 1¼-inch ring cutter to punch out 16 cauliflower rounds from the slices that include florets and stem. Trim 16 florets from the remaining cauliflower. Save all other trim for the Cauliflower Purée and the Cauliflower Couscous (see below).

   3. Step 12

      Place the rounds and 2 tablespoons Curry Oil, 2 tablespoons Brown Butter and ½ teaspoon salt in a sous vide bag and vacuum-seal.

   4. Step 13

      Place the cauliflower florets and the remaining 2 tablespoons Curry Oil, 2 tablespoons Brown Butter and ½ teaspoon salt in another sous vide bag and vacuum-seal.

   5. Step 14

      Steam the bags of cauliflower in a combination steam oven at 185 degrees for 20 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water.

5. Cauliflower Couscous

   1. Step 15

      Finely chop the cauliflower trim so that it resembles the size and texture of couscous.

   2. Step 16

      Place in a small mixing bowl and season with the Brown Butter, lemon juice and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. Curried Raisins

   1. Step 17

      In a medium straight-sided sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the apple and shallots and sweat until translucent, without caramelizing, about 10 minutes.

   2. Step 18

      Add the curry powder, star anise and peppercorns, and toast with the apples and shallots for 1 minute.

   3. Step 19

      Deglaze the pan with the port and reduce until the pan is almost dry.

   4. Step 20

      Add 2 cups water and the makrut lime leaf and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Season with the salt.

   5. Step 21

      Place the golden raisins in a heatproof container. Strain the hot liquid over the raisins. Cool to room temperature. Keep the raisins in their liquid until ready to serve.

7. Carrot Curry Sauce

   1. Step 22

      In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and ginger and sweat the vegetables until the carrots are fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

   2. Step 23

      Add the curry powder and toast for 1 minute.

   3. Step 24

      Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until almost dry.

   4. Step 25

      Add the tomatoes, cooking until they are almost dry, about 3 minutes.

   5. Step 26

      Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, toast the coriander and cumin until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the toasted spices and stock to the vegetables and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.

   6. Step 27

      Strain the sauce and reduce it to 1½ cups. Season with salt and chill over ice.

8. Cauliflower Purée

   1. Step 28

      Place the cauliflower in a large saucepan and cover with the half-and-half. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the cauliflower until tender, about 25 minutes.

   2. Step 29

      Drain the cauliflower, reserving the liquid. Purée in a blender, adding the cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the purée is smooth but not too loose. You should need about 4 tablespoons of liquid.

   3. Step 30

      Blend in the Brown Butter and season with the salt. Pass through a fine-mesh tamis and cool over an ice bath, stirring constantly to quicken the cooling process and to prevent a film from forming on the purée. Makes 2 cups.

9. Curry Raisin Purée

   1. Step 31

      Place the raisins in a bowl. Pour hot water over the raisins and bloom at room temperature until they are soft, 2 hours. Drain, discarding the water.

   2. Step 32

      Purée in a blender until smooth, slowly incorporating the Curry Oil with the blender running. Season with the salt. Makes 2 cups.

10. To Finish

    1. Step 33

       In 3 small pots over low heat, reheat the Cauliflower Purée, Curry Raisin Purée and Carrot Curry Sauce. Add the Curry Oil to the Carrot Curry Sauce.

    2. Step 34

       Open the bags of Sous Vide Cauliflower, pour off the liquid, and reserve it. Using 2 medium sauté pans, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable stock in each over medium heat and add equal amounts of the cooking liquid from the Sous Vide Cauliflower. Bring to a simmer, and add the cauliflower discs to one pan and the florets to the other. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each pan and reduce to glaze, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

    3. Step 35

       Spoon Cauliflower Purée and Curry Raisin Purée on a plate. Place a Roasted Cauliflower cross section on top of the purées. Arrange 2 cauliflower rounds, 2 cauliflower florets, 3 Curried Raisins, 4 Dehydrated Grapes, 4 Marcona almonds and a spoonful of Cauliflower Couscous around the Roasted Cauliflower. Finish the plate with 1 tablespoon Carrot Curry Sauce, a dusting of Madras curry powder and 2 sprigs celery leaves. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.