Chef Kevin Roberts transforms humble cauliflower into a dead ringer for shrimp cocktail with a brief poach in cleverly seasoned water and a dunk in cocktail sauce. "It's something my mom used to make for us," he explains. "As kids, we went to the lake a lot, and she would throw this down as a snack. It's also a great party option for vegetarians and people with shellfish allergies."
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine crab boil, salt, onions, garlic, and 6 quarts water in a large pot. Squeeze juice from lemons into pot and add lemon halves. Set pot over high heat and bring liquid to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions, garlic, and lemons from broth; discard. Return liquid to a rolling boil.
Step 2
Add cauliflower; turn off heat, cover pot tightly, and let stand until cauliflower is crisp-tender, 5-10 minutes. Drain; spread out cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Cauliflower can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Step 3
Arrange room-temperature or chilled cauliflower on a platter with cocktail sauce for dipping.
