Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Almonds

The inspiration for this cauliflower side comes from “Maximo,” by renowned Mexico City chef Eduardo García. To capture some of García’s complexly layered flavors while using a much-simplified approach, we make a thick puree of cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, pumpkin seeds, jalapeños and olive oil. Most of it is applied as a seasoning paste to cauliflower florets; the remainder is made into a simple sauce for serving alongside. In his recipe, García calls for Spanish marcona almonds, and we agree that the rich, sweet nuts yield excellent flavor. However, if marconas aren’t available—or if they’re too pricy—use regular roasted almonds. If you wish to temper the chili heat, remove some or all of the seeds from the jalapeños before adding the chilies to the food processor.