Whole smoked cauliflower with chili butter

Pasos

1. Trim the cauliflower without breaking it apart: remove only damaged outer leaves, trim the base of the stem so the head sits flat, and leave any tender inner leaves attached if they are fresh. Rinse under cold water while gently spreading the florets, then drain upside down for 5 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer (about 95 °C) with the coarse salt and bay leaf. Lower the whole cauliflower into the water, stem-side down, using a skimmer to keep it submerged if needed. Cook at a steady simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tip of a paring knife pierces the stem with slight resistance.
3. Carefully remove the cauliflower and set it upright on a wire rack. Let it drain and dry at room temperature for 10 minutes until steam stops rising and the surface is completely matte.
4. Preheat the oven to 190 °C with convection. Rub the cauliflower all over with olive oil, including the leaves and into the crevices between the florets. Season with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Set up the smoker: place the beech wood chips in the bottom of a Dutch oven or a suitable stovetop metal smoker. Set a rack above the chips, place the cauliflower on the rack, and heat over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until dense white smoke appears. Cover tightly with a lid, turn off the heat, and let smoke trapped inside for 12 minutes.
6. Transfer the smoked cauliflower to a baking dish. Roast at 190 °C for 35 to 40 minutes, until the florets are deeply golden with browned edges and the center registers at least 85 °C on an instant-read thermometer. Baste halfway through (after 20 minutes) with the pan drippings.
7. Toward the end of roasting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat (about 130 °C) with the crushed garlic cloves. Let it foam for 4 to 5 minutes until it smells nutty and turns a light golden blond.
8. Reduce the heat to very low (about 90 °C), then stir in the sweet smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and mild chili flakes. Infuse, stirring gently, for 2 minutes to avoid burning the spices, until the butter turns a deep amber-red, then discard the garlic.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the finely grated lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Whisk for 30 seconds to lightly emulsify the pan juices.
10. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes in its dish. Spoon the warm chili butter (about 70 °C) generously all over the head, letting it run deep into the crevices between the florets.
11. Finely chop the flat-leaf parsley and chives. Scatter the fresh herbs over the glossy surface at the last moment, finish with a turn of freshly ground black pepper, and serve the hot cauliflower immediately at the table.