Whole Roasted Broccoli with Muhammara Sauce

Serves 4

• 1 large head or 2 smaller heads broccoli (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)

• 3 red bell peppers (1 ½ pounds total), cored and cut into 2-inch chunks

• 2 plum tomatoes (8 ounces total), cut into 2-inch chunks

• 1 cup (3 ½ ounces) raw, unsalted walnuts, plus additional chopped walnuts for garnish

• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, divided, plus more to taste

• 1 cup (2 ounces) lightly packed bread cubes (from 2 to 3 small slices)

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus more as needed

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

• 2 teaspoons Aleppo-style chile flakes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 475 F.

Trim the bottom of the broccoli stem(s). Use a vegetable peeler to peel the tough part of the stem without removing any florets. Set on a large sheet pan. (Don't worry about making it stand up like you would a cauliflower.) Scatter bell peppers, tomatoes, walnuts and garlic around the broccoli; drizzle everything with oil and sprinkle with salt.

Roast, stirring or tossing all the ingredients except the broccoli once or twice, for 5 minutes; add bread and continue roasting for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture deeply browns in spots and the broccoli is crisp-tender. Transfer the broccoli to a platter and let remaining ingredients cool slightly.

Peel the garlic, discard skin, and add cloves, along with the rest of the mixture still on the sheet pan, to a food processor. Add molasses, lemon juice, chili flakes and cumin, and process until mostly smooth but with a little chunky texture, scraping down the sides of the bowl partway through if needed. Taste, and season with more salt, pomegranate molasses and/or lemon juice if needed.

To serve, spread the muhammara on a large serving platter and top with roasted broccoli. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, and drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate molasses.

Note: No Aleppo-style chili flakes? Use Urfa, Marash, crushed red pepper flakes or a combination of mostly sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne.