Whole roasted cauliflower with lemon & garlic butter

Ingredients

• 1 whole cauliflower, leaves trimmed but base intact
• 80g butter, softened
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt, properly
• A handful of chopped parsley
• Yoghurt or tahini, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Bring a big pot of well-salted water to the boil and simmer the whole cauliflower, stem down, for 8 minutes. Drain and let it steam dry — this is the secret to tender-not-chalky.
2. Mash the butter with garlic, lemon zest, paprika and a big pinch of salt. Smear it over every surface of the cauliflower, into the crevices.
3. Roast in a heavy pan or cast-iron dish for 45–55 minutes, basting once or twice, until deeply golden and a knife slides into the core with no argument.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice over, shower with parsley, and carve into fat wedges over yoghurt or tahini.

Good with brown butter breadcrumbs if you're showing off, or leftover wedges chopped into a frittata the next day.