Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Bring a large, deep pot of water to a rolling boil and season it aggressively with the kosher salt and the juice of half the lemon — it should taste like seawater. Lower the trimmed whole head in stem-side down, cover, and simmer 8 to 12 minutes. This seasons the cauliflower to its core and softens the dense stem so it cooks through before the surface scorches in the oven. Lift it out carefully with two slotted spoons or a spider and set it stem-down on a rack to drain and steam-dry completely.

Whisk the olive oil with the garlic paste, cumin, and smoked paprika into a loose, rust-colored slurry. Set the drained head in an oven-proof skillet or on a lined sheet and massage the spiced oil over every surface, working it down into the crevices between florets and over the cut stem. Be generous — the oil is both the seasoning and the frying medium that crisps the crown.

Roast in a hot oven at 220C / 425F for 30 to 40 minutes, basting once or twice with the oil that collects in the pan. The Maillard browning turns the surface curds deeply golden and concentrates the sugars into a nutty, almost popcorn sweetness. The head is done when the crown is bronzed and crackly and a skewer slides through the center without resistance.

Transfer the rested head to a warm platter. Squeeze over the juice of the remaining lemon half, scatter with flaky salt and a few grinds of black pepper, then shower with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. Bring it whole to the table and carve into thick wedges from the crown down through the tender stem, spooning the spiced pan oil over each portion.