“Working for peanuts is all very fine, but I can show you a better time.”
Theme song by The Donnas “Drive My Car” from The Bird Has Flown
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I’m not really a Beatles fan.
Sure, more than a few Music & Food recipes are based on Beatles songs, but only two are not covers. (Those would be an egg salad and a sandwich.) So, here I am again using a Beatles cover version for a recipe theme.
What makes me a bit sad is this marks the first recipe with a theme performed by one of my favorite rock bands: The Donnas. I really should have given them their own recipe simply based on their brilliant Spend The Night LP. Also, this cover is not prime Donnas style, but it’s still better than the overly cheesy pop of the Beatles original. Trust me, if you dig riot grrrl rock with a bit of power pop vibe, check out the first five Donnas albums. You can thank me later.
Much like the theme song, this is a cover recipe. Shawarma is a meat dish at its core. It’s great we can use the Tofu Of Vegetables to replicate the flavor and texture, but it’s still a cover version. A great cover version, but a cover version nonetheless.
BABY, YOU CAN DRIVE MY SHAWARMA
Cauliflower shawarma, Sort Of Shawarma sauce, red onion, cucumber, and tomato on flatbread
Makes 6 or so
For the Cauliflower:
1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Sort Of Shawarma Sauce
7-ounces vegan Greek yogurt
Juice of one lime
1 tablespoon white miso
2 teaspoons hot sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped)
1/4 teaspoon salt
For serving
Diced tomato and cucumber
Pita or flatbread
Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
Prepare the cauliflower: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and spices. Add cauliflower and onion, and toss until well coated. Let this marinate on the counter for 30 minutes. Spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast vegetables on the top oven rack until they are golden brown, slightly crisp, and tender, 30 – 35 minutes, stirring once or twice.
As they cook, prepare the sauce. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend for a minute.
Warm the pitas or flatbread by placing them directly on the bottom oven rack during the last 5 minutes as the vegetable roast. Alternately, you could toast them over a gas flame.