Cookwithus #12 - Roasted Cauliflower With Eastern Spiced Barbecue Sauce And Grilled Egglplant Tomato Salad

This my entry to #cookwithus Thanks to @chefsteve, @pandamama and @offoodandart.

This weeks theme had two choices of sauce and grill. I chose grill since I have been grilling quite a bit lately. I am a temporary guest in my in law's house where it is difficult to get much time in the kitchen so outdoors is a great solution and quite enjoyable anyway.

Today I chose veggies instead of a vegan protein which we need a break from. The main grilled vegetable was cauliflower since it is quite a hardy thing to grill and doesn't get too soft, like it can if boiled or steamed.

I chose to do an middle eastern inspired barbecue sauce to brush on. The spices I chose were just my imagined Eastern/ Meditteranean spices for such a dish. Using a tomato pasata I added lemon juice, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, cumin, coriander, cloves, cayenne, cinnamon paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano. The sauce was heated and cooked down before brushing on the cauliflower.

Grilled eggplants, tomatoes and red onion would become a salad on the side.

I wanted to make something resembling a middle eastern type of dish so I added fresh flat leaf parsley which is often added generously to middle eastern dishes and salads.

I also added some lemon juice, chopped grilled garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and fresh oregano growing from the herb garden

It was served on a bed of couscous which was boiled in veggie broth, onion powder, cumin, oregano salt and and pepper. What I love about couscous is that is doesn't take long, However you have to be very careful with it. When I make it, I put around four cups of veggie broth and seasonings to boil than add the couscous mixing constantly with a fork. I just add enough couscous, approximately three cups, until it is just under the top of the water, . As soon as the broth boils and the couscous goes in, I turn the burner off. If left unattended it will surely clump. What makes a good couscous is if it is nice and fluffy so constant stirring until the moisture is gone is what must be done. Let it sit for about five minutes.

Since this was middle eastern inspired, I just had to drizzle one of my favorite dressings. Tahini dressing. Made from sesame paste, garlic, salt, pepper lemon juice and olive oil. This sauce is used all over the middle east and Mediterranean. I have also had it in Egypt where it was a popular thing in restaurants there. When I make it, I always add a good dollop of tahini, and a few cloves of garlic. I like to add lemon juice a little at a time to the blender so It doesn't end up too tangy keeping it balanced with the nuttiness of the sesame paste and the other ingredients.