Simply WanderFull
There’s something about flipping through a glossy travel magazine that makes you want to book a trip, redecorate your house, and completely reinvent your dinner plans — all at once. That’s exactly how this recipe happened and it was so inspiring!
I stumbled across a recipe from Lulu Kitchen & Bar for their signature heirloom cauliflower in the Modern Luxury Hamptons magazine. There was a section featuring the Hamptons hottest chefs and culinary tastemakers serving up their go-to summer recipes. There were so many beautiful recipes but first to try at home would be this roasted cauliflower. So I did what any food-obsessed traveler-at-heart would do — I recreated at home and it was fabulous!
Do you love vegetarian dishes? Here are some of the best-loved Veggie-inspired recipes from Simply Wanderfull.
Roasted Broccoli Caesar Salad.
Why This Cauliflower Feels Special
This isn’t sad side-dish cauliflower. This is centerpiece cauliflower-fancy cauliflower. Steamed and then roasted until deeply golden and caramelized, layered with spices, and finished with a creamy garlic lemon sauce, fresh cilantro, and oven roasted grapes (if thats your jam).
It tastes like something you’d order on a breezy summer evening near the water — but it’s surprisingly simple to make in your own kitchen.
And honestly? It’s one of those dishes that makes you feel like you’ve gone somewhere, even if you’re just cooking at home.
The flavour Profile
- Smoky and slightly charred edges
- Earthy warmth from the blackened seasoning
- Creamy, tangy yogurt sauce
- Cilantro for brightness
*Note: In the magazine recipe, it notes Aleppo pepper and sesame seed as the spice. I didn’t have both, so I decided to use Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning Blends instead. It tasted great! A little spicy, smoky with a hint of garlic and onion.
Lulu Kitchen & Bar Recipe: Signature Heirloom Cauliflower
Here is the authentic recipe for the cauliflower. I will put my own twist on the recipe below. I altered the recipe at home because I didn’t have Aleppo pepper and sesame seed. I also made my own Ceasar Salad dressing recipe and drizzled that over top and sprinkled it with fresh cilantro.
Ingredients:
1 whole medium-size, fresh cauliflower covered with leaves
For the yogurt sauce:
2 cups greek plain yogurt
1-1/3 tbsp. Peeled garlic minced (about 4-5 cloves)
1 lemon juiced
1/8 tbsp. Aleppo pepper
1/5 tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. Portuguese spice blend
2 tbsp. Chives or cilantro
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the cauliflower in a metal pot and fill until 3/4 full of water. Add salt.
- Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, lower to a moderate boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cauliflower.
- Drain.
- Brush the cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, Aleppo pepper and sesame seed.
- Place in a baking dish in the centre of the oven, and bake until the top turns golden brown (about 60 minutes).
- The outside of the cauliflower should be crisp and the inside as soft a butter.
- Serve with the yogurt, garlic and lemon sauce and possibly some oven roasted fresh grapes.
Simply Wanderfull Hamptons-Inspired Cauliflower recipe
Here’s my homemade take on Lulu’s signature heirloom cauliflower — inspired by a magazine feature and recreated with my own Simply Wanderfull twist. It captures all the warm spices, caramelized edges, and vibrant toppings that make the dish so memorable, but made simply and beautifully at home.
Hamptons-Inspired Heirloom Cauliflower
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Place the cauliflower in a metal pot and fill until 3/4 full of water. Add salt.
- Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, lower to a moderate boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cauliflower.
- Drain.
- Brush the cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, garlic powder and blackened seasoning.
- Place in a baking dish in the centre of the oven, and bake until the top turns golden brown (about 60 minutes).
- The outside of the cauliflower should be crisp and the inside as soft a butter.
- Serve with the caesar-inspired yogurt sauce, sprinkle with cilantro and stake it with a knife for the fancy look
A little travel-inspired note
One of the things I love most about cooking is how it connects us to places we haven’t even visited yet. This dish feels like summer in the Hamptons — relaxed, seasonal, beautiful without trying too hard.
Until I make it to Sag Harbor, this version will absolutely do. And when I finally sit down at Lulu Kitchen & Bar for the real thing? I’ll be ordering the cauliflower first.
If you make this, let me know — would you serve it as a side, or let it steal the spotlight as the main event?
