Cauliflower Mojo De Ajo is the vegetarian version to the legendary Puerto Nuevo dishes many of us Latinx grew up on. When I was a kid/teen my family would take road trips down to Rosarito for the weekend on many occasions. We would all pack into my uncle’s van and head south of the border for a little taste of Mexico on the beach. I have so many fond memories of that time spent with my family and the meals we shared.
There was one constant that stuck to our Rosarito itinerary … a trip even further south for dinner to Puerto Nuevo, the seaside town known for the best seafood mojo de ajo in Mexico. It didn’t matter what you ordered it was always accompanied by beans, rice and a pile of flour tortillas to spoon up every last ounce of that delicious garlic sauce. I still fantasize of those meals, and since I don’t eat seafood anymore I had to come up with a vegetarian version. Coliflor al mojo de ajo or as I’d say in English cauliflower in a garlic sauce….So so dreamy and reminds me of those days eating by the shore.
Ingredients For Cauliflower Mojo De Ajo:
- 2 heads of cauliflower (sliced into 1 inch slices)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil + 1/8 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup butter or Miyoko’s vegan butter
- 1/4 cup onion (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/8 cup chopped parsley or basil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash cauliflower, trim outer leaves and remove the core. Slice in 1 inch thick cuts making cauliflower slabs. Some of the pieces will fall to the side. You can always roast those pieces along with the cauliflower slabs.
- Brush a large baking sheet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, and then place the cauliflower slabs on the baking sheet. Brush the top of the cauliflower slabs with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the cauliflower slabs, then bake for an additional 20 minutes. 40 minutes total bake time.
- While the cauliflower is roasting… make the garlic sauce (mojo de ajo).
- In a sauce pan over a medium flame add butter and 1/8 cup olive oil. Mix to combine while butter melts (if using Miyoko’s omit 1/8 cup olive oil). Once butter melts add in onions and allow to sauté for 4 minutes. Then add in lemon juice, and garlic. Cook for another 4 minutes mixing occasionally. Lastly add in parsley and cook for an additional 1 minute. Remove from flame and set to the side until ready to use.
- Remove cauliflower slabs from the oven and place on a platter. Generously spoon mojo de ajo sauce over cauliflower.
- Serve with rice, beans, and a flour tortilla.
- Enjoy!
