I no longer think of cauliflower as the unnecessary vegetable. It is subtly sweet and nutty and really just delightful. For our passover seder last week I was asked to bring a salad, so after buying an enormous and perfect head of cauliflower for $3 (and then lugging it home) I decided to roast it simply, bringing out its delicate nature, then mix it with a set of flavours that are a sure-fire hit – cumin, chilli, coriander, and then top it off with some toasted earthy walnuts and un-kosher it up with some amazing semi-hard goats cheese. Luckily our seder is more about tradition than sticking to the rules, so this delicious salad snuck in there with the matzo ball soup, hillel’s sandwiches and gefilte fish.
Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Adapted from Gourmet Travellers ‘Roasted cauliflower with walnuts and queso de cabra’
1 medium cauliflower, washed and cut into small florets (my cauliflower was ginormous)
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 bunch coriander, washed and finely chopped
1/2 red chilli, finely diced.
1/2 – 3/4 cup walnuts, dry roasted
80 – 100g semi-hard goats milk cheese from Spain (I bough some at Formaggi Occello and i don’t remember what it was called, sorry.)
1T cumin seeds
2t ground coriander seeds.
salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Toss Cauliflower with some oil, spices and salt and roast in a single layer in a hot oven (200 – 220 C) until just softened and browned, about 10 – 15 mins. You may need to do this in batches.
This step can be done in advance – cool cauliflower and store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to use be sure to bring cauliflower back up to room temperature, or even warm it through a little, before finishing the salad.
When ready to serve, mix all ingredients together, except for the cheese, taste and adjust seasoning. Arrange on a platter and top with shaved cheese. You can serve immediately, or let it sit for up to 30 mins for the flavours to combine and settle.
10 Comments
this hairy organic farmer put me onto this blog and now that I’ve seen it let me just say that the seder salad was as good as it looks – and having once gone out with a professional and highly successful food stylist let me also add how good the photos all look
Dear, dear lili! This (the blog posting) is JUST what I need right now: like a (vegetarian) Big Brekky for the eyes! Also, I love cauliflower, and pretty much every ingredient on here. It’s time for me to actually try making one of your recipes I think!
Yum Lili.
I was showing this site to another food-lover but we didn’t get past the roast cauliflower – the ‘frog to prince’ of vegetables clearly.
Looks so mouthwatering! I love cauliflower in all it’s guises.
OK I’m sold on the unneccesary vegetable, and I’m sorry I missed this
JR: Thank you
There was so much leftover salad I ate it for lunch and with dinner the following day!
Miss_Om: Good! Really it is very easy and delicious – I actually just bought another ginormous and very affordable cauliflower with the intent to make it again, now that really is something
Kent: Yes! Ella and I know it as the unnecessary vegetable, from terrible overcooked and mushy childhood experience, and now I love it.
Y: Thanks, I love it too, now, and roasting is such a lovely way to cook it.
Ella: You know I don’t even think of it as the unnecessary vegetable any longer, buy one and roast it for delicious results
The flavour and texture combinations looks like they would go so well with each other. Seems like a great way to pass over er… passover.
I’ve never thought of roasting cauliflower before. I’ve been making a lot of cauliflower puree lately. But I’m definitely going to give your recipe a go…looks delish.
What a great salad – I’ve never had cauliflower in a salad before, but that combination sounds so good.
This sounds lovely with the nuts and cheese. I great way to add something special to a cauliflower.