Roasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa Dip

Is it me, or does roasting things until they look charred make you drool. To me charred/roasted veggies scream of summer (I mean hello, a burger at the beach? Or a roasted corn with butter?) and they always are a hit with people.

For this recipe I wanted to merge a few things together – the smokiness of a traditional American BBQ with the spice and depth of flavour or Moroccan dishes, mainly one of their most popular sauces: harissa!

Roasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa DipRoasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa DipRoasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa DipRoasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa Dip

For those of you who haven’t tried harissa, it’s basically a paste made out of roasted chili peppers and spices. It’s super versatile and can be used on any kind of meat and veggies and it always adds a nice touch of heat without being super overpowering.

Now, picture harissa made into a creamy dip, and then some roasted veggies to go with it, yep, drool worthy. I know sometimes artichokes look like they take forever to make, but this recipe makes it easy for you to enjoy them, simply pick the outer leaves out (they’re usually tough) and go for the ones closer to the core, dip in the sauce, and chew off the meaty tender bits. So good! If you never done it and don’t know where to start, here’s a video that’ll guide you through it.

We are pairing this dish with Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay as it cuts through the richness of the dip and goes fantastic with the smokiness of the veggies.

So whatcha say? Shall we char? Let’s do it! Full recipe after the jump.

 

Roasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa DipRoasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa DipRoasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa Dip

Roasted Artichoke and Cauliflower with Creamy Harissa Dip
 
Author: 
Cuisine: Moroccan
 
 
 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 3 whole artichokes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons z'atar spice (*if you can't find it, see note below)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 whole large egg
  • ½-3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste (available in the international food aisle of your grocery store or specialty store)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
 
Instructions
  1. Start by roasting the veggies: preheat the oven at 400F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Trim the cauliflower and cut it into small florets. Place florets in a bowl and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, z'atar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat them. Place florets in baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside
  2. Now cut the artichokes in half, and rub them with a lemon to prevent them from browning. Rub the leftover spices in the cauliflower bowl (whatever's left) onto the inside of the artichoke. Place them on a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes until you pull a leave and the inside "fleshy" part is tender. Set aside.
  3. To make the dip: place the whole egg in a blender or food processor, turn it on in low speed and slowly start to pour the ½ cup of olive oil (you're basically making a mayo), stop when it looks thick and creamy, add more oil if needed. With the blender or processor still going add the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, once they are incorporated, add harissa, salt and pepper, and mix again. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. Plate the cauliflower and artichoke on a platter and serve with a side of harissa dip. You can garnish with cilantro and some extra lemon wedges. That's it! So tasty!
 
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*Note: if you can’t find z’atar, you can make your own! It’s super easy, you can find a quick recipe in here

 

Hope you enjoy this recipe!