Quick Pickled Vegetables

I don't know about you, but I have a fair bit of angst when it comes to working week lunches.  Of course if you happen to be one of those super-organised, super-human people who prepares their lunch the day before, you probably don't understand my quandry.  I am not one of those people.  Getting lunch together is usually that thing that happens in the five minutes between getting dressed and rushing out the door, and usually with my toothbrush hanging out of the corner of my mouth while I'm doing it.  Not a pretty picture.

There's no doubt that a sandwich is the ultimate transportable meal, but I try not to eat too much bread, and in all honesty no sandwich really tastes as good after four or five hours at the bottom of your lunch bag as it does when freshly made.  Last night's leftovers too are great lunchtime fodder, but without the facilities to reheat anything at my workplace, I find I'm less than enthusiastic about the previous night's cold mac 'n' cheese.

Most weeks in our house we make a big pot of soup, and occasionally I have time in the morning to reheat some to take to work in a thermos.  Sometimes I will make a big batch of hummus and take that along to work with a bag of assorted vegetables, and that will provide me with lunch for three or four days.  But more often that not, I will make do with just grabbing a couple of pieces of fruit or an avocado out of the bowl as I rush out the door.

A salad is great for lunch, but a salad which is made the night before is seldom a thing of glory, and who has time in the morning for chopping ingredients, putting them in separate little containers, mixing a dressing, etc?!  Definitely not this girl.

And now, that clever Nigel Slater has got me out of a pickle with some inspiration which will see me enjoying delicious work-day lunches for at least the next week.  You see, this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs our theme is "In Quite A Pickle", making our own pickles or a dish using pickled ingredients.

Looking through my Nigel Slater cookbooks, I couldn't find anything that was quite right or which used ingredients that are in season here right now, but online I found Nigel's recipe for Salmon Tartare with Quick Pickled Cauliflower.

With a whole head of cauliflower sitting in my veggie drawer and needing to be used up, this definitely piqued my interest, and although I wasn't considering making the salmon tartare today, it got me thinking.  For a start, why just stop at cauliflower?  I had other vegetables on hand that surely could get the quick pickling treatment too ... radishes, carrots, beetroot, and if these were going to be a good accompaniment to salmon, then why not with a variety of smoked fish?

Seriously, these could not be simpler to make.  About 20 minutes of work this afternoon, and I now have four jars of assorted pickled vegetables with which I can stock the fridge at work.  I'll take along a couple of pieces of smoked mackerel as well, a bag of salad leaves and a packet of crackers, and I have a whole week's worth of sensational (and healthy) lunches to look forward to.

Quick Pickled Vegetables Recipe
Adapted from recipe by Nigel Slater
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

You don't need to be too concerned about quantities here - just use what you have

1x small cauliflower, cut into small florets
coriander seeds

1x carrot
caraway seeds

4 to 5x radishes
fennel seeds

1 to 2x beetroot, depending on size
dill or caraway seeds

2-1/2 cups cider vinegar
2-1/2 cups water
200g (7 oz) sugar

4x washed & sterilised jars

Bring a small pot of water to the boil.  Add cauliflower, and cook for about 5 minutes, until just barely tender, but still crisp.  Drain and refresh in cold water.  Pack the cauliflower into one jar, sprinkling coriander seeds over each layer as you go.

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the carrot into long, thin ribbons, and pack into another jar, sprinkling caraway seeds over each layer as you go.

Cut radish into rings as thinly as you possibly can - a mandoline is ideal.  Layer in a jar with fennel seeds.

Cut beetroot in half, and then into thin slices - again a mandoline is ideal.  Layer in a jar with dill or caraway seeds.

Put vinegar, water and sugar in a small pot, and set over medium heat.  Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil.  Remove from heat and immediately pour over the bottled vegetables.

Leave to cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge.  Allow to stand, in the fridge, at least four hours before using.  After a few hours in the fridge, they are really crispy, and beginning to take on the flavours from the spices they've been packed with.  If you can bear to wait till the next day, even better.

This is a quick pickle, so don't expect a long-term preserve, but they should keep a good week or two in the fridge.

Enjoy - I know I can hardly wait for lunch time tomorrow to come around.

If you would like to get to know Nigel Slater a little better, and to see what everyone else has cooked up this week, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and check out the links ...

I'll also be sharing this post this week at See Ya In the Gumbo hosted by the delightful Michelle at Ms. enPlace, at Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads, and at Foodie Fridays hosted by Designs by Gollum.

         

Bang Bang Cauliflower

You might remember that last month I told you about my introduction to the Secret Recipe Club.  In case you missed that, the Secret Recipe Club is a cooking group where each month we are assigned another blog from which we will choose a recipe to make and write a post about.  This is done in secret (hence Secret Recipe Club), so no one knows who is cooking from which blog until everyone puts up their post on reveal day.

My expectations were running high going into last month's reveal, and I can happily say I was not disappointed.  The warmth of the welcome to the group that I received from so many lovely bloggers was simply overwhelming.  Needless to say then, I could scarcely contain my excitement waiting to find out whose blog I would be cooking from this month.  Now I can safely tell you that my assigned blog is Life and Kitchen.

Lindsay is a young mum living in Pittsburgh, and I love that first and foremost she writes her blog for her small daughter, in the hope that one day "Lily will be able to read back over old posts to get recipe ideas and see a small slice of what our life was like when she was too little to remember".  Like me, Lindsay has never been much of a meat-eater, and then in January 2012 she decided to try a meat-free month.  That month turned into a year, that year turned into two, and with each passing month her awareness of the various "injustices" involved in meat production have grown stronger.  This really resonated with me.  I've flirted on numerous occasions with having meat-free months, and in the long-term I dream of potentially becoming a vegetarian, but I seem to invariably get tripped up by a pork chop or strip of bacon!  I think I would struggle to also live without salmon.  Still, like Lindsay, an awareness of both the ethical and environmental issues surrounding the food we eat is important to me.

Lindsay had so many great dishes I was tempted by - Spinach Artichoke Tarts, Baked Lemon Pasta, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt, Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Donuts, and many more, but you all know how much I love a good cauliflower recipe, so as soon as I stumbled across her Bang Bang Cauliflower it was a no-brainer.

In short this is cauliflower, dipped in a batter and fried until golden and crispy, then smothered in a delicious chilli sauce.  I made a couple of small changes to the batter recipe, replacing some of the regular flour with rice flour and adding some smoky paprika and ground cumin to give it an extra hit of flavour.  I also made my own mayonnaise for the bang bang sauce, and replaced hot sriracha sauce with cayenne pepper because I didn't have any hot sauce on hand.  Store bought mayonnaise is absolutely fine by the way, but if you feel inclined to make your own, it's dead easy ... In a small bowl whisk together one egg yolk with a teaspoon of water, then start to add sunflower oil to the egg yolk mixture a few drops at a time, stirring constantly until each addition of oil is fully amalgamated.  Once the yolk starts to thicken a little, you can begin to add the oil in a slow steady stream, until you end up with a very thick emulsion.  Finally, thin to the consistency you want with a little lemon juice or warm water - just add the liquid one teaspoon at a time and whisk it in well.  Season to taste with salt.  And voila - mayonnaise!

In short this dish was wonderful. Let's face it, what's not to love about a pile of batter-dipped, deep-fried vegetables, smothered in a punchy chilli sauce.?!  I happily made a meal of this - it's the perfect dish for a lazy Saturday night dinner (along with a good movie and a bottle of wine) and I will definitely be making this again.   

Bang Bang Cauliflower Recipe
Adapted (slightly) from recipe by Lindsay
at Life and Kitchen
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

Bang bang sauce
1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise
1/2 cup Thai sweet chilli sauce
cayenne pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

Batter
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon smokey paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2x egg yolks
1-1/2 cups cold water

1x head cauliflower, cut into florets
sunflower (or other flavourless) oil
flaky sea salt
large bunch chives, roughly chopped

Begin by making the bang bang sauce.  Whisk mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce together in a small bowl, and add cayenne pepper to your taste - cayenne can pack a bit of a punch, so begin by adding 1/4 teaspoon, taste and add more as you like.  Set aside.  (This can be made well in advance, and in fact this will make more than you need, but it will keep for ages and would make a great accompaniment to just about anything.)

Pour sunflower oil, to a depth of about 1 cm (1/2 in), into a large deep sided saute pan.  Set over medium-high heat until the surface is rippling, but not quite smoking.

Meanwhile make the batter.  Sift together the flours, paprika and ground cumin into a large bowl.  Add flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, mix lightly, and make a well in the centre.  Whisk egg yolks and water together and pour into the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined.

Dip the cauliflower pieces into the batter, and immediately drop carefully into the hot oil.  Cook for several minutes, turning regularly until golden all over.  (You will need to do this in batches.)  As cooked, remove from oil, drain on a paper towel, and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt as each batch is cooked.

Arrange cauliflower pieces on a large platter, smother with the bang bang sauce, and sprinkle over the snipped chives.  Serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did, and visit the links below to check out all the other great dishes my Secret Recipe Club friends made.

An InLinkz Link-up

Fried Cauliflower with Tahini & Pomegranate and How To Use Pomegranate Molasses

Sadly for those of us who play at I Heart Cooking Clubs, our six-month journey with the amazing Yotam Ottolenghi ends this week.  To a person, we've been inspired, surprised and amazed by dish after dish of incredible flavours and textures, by "new to us" ingredients and by new ways to use them.  I've been cooking on a regular basis with Ottolenghi for about 3 years now, but he still never ceases to surprise me with taste and texture combinations that are a pure delight, and although we are effectively farewelling him this week, his dishes will continue to play a starring role in my kitchen.

I had planned to share a round-up this week of my favourites, but of the 20-plus Ottolenghi dishes I've made over the last six months, I just couldn't narrow it down to four or five, instead I'm going to celebrate the way in which he has opened my eyes to wonderful ways with cauliflower.  I've always loved cauliflower - it's one of my favourite vegetables - but until my introduction to Ottolenghi I was always at a bit of a loss for interesting ways to prepare and eat it.  In the past, it's always just been a bit of a side dish, enjoyable but not particularly remarkable unless smothered in a cheese sauce!!  Now, thanks to some of these wonderful dishes, I'm happy to make a meal of cauliflower.

There was Chargrilled Cauliflower, Tomato & Fennel Salad ...

... and Roasted Cauliflower & Almond Salad ...

... and the Saffron Cauliflower from Plenty, a dish which, although I'm yet to share with you, I've made many times.  Trust me, if you happen to have Plenty in your cookbook collection, you need to make this dish.

Then there was the Fried Cauliflower with Pine Nuts, Capers & Chillies which my friend, Michelle at Ms. enPlace made.  I haven't had a chance to make this one yet, but it's high on my must-make list.

And, today's discovery from Jerusalem: A Cookbook, this recipe for Fried Cauliflower with Tahini & Pomegranate.  I made a few small changes to the original recipe.  Now I'm sure that a whole bunch of cauliflower fried in two cups of sunflower oil would taste amazing, but looking for a healthier version I used a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil instead.  Still tasted amazing and went a beautiful golden brown in no time.  The original dish was designed to serve six as part of a mezze feast, but I cut quantities back to make a substantial meal for one, and adjusted all the sauce quantities accordingly.  I also left out spring onions, as I didn't really feel the need for them, and I finished off by tossing a few pomegranate seeds in at the end.

I'm also sharing this dish at Tasting Jerusalem, where our theme for the month is pomegranate molasses.  I've used pomegranate molasses in a number of different Ottolenghi dishes in the past, such as Lamb-Stuffed Quince with Coriander & Pomegranate, ...

Shakshuka, ...

...  and the earlier mentioned Roasted Cauliflower & Almond Salad.

You might also be interested in a few other ideas for using pomegranate molasses.  I actually posted some of these suggestions way back in one of my very first posts on this blog, but that was before anybody ever read this blog, so they bear repeating:

Make a refreshing drink by mixing 1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses with lemon juice and sugar; then add water or soda and adjust to your taste. You could also turn this into a cocktail by adding the alcohol of your choice – vodka and rum both work really well with this.

Use to glaze the skin of a chicken or duck breast before cooking – skin will be crispy and a little sour.

Glaze a rack of lamb before cooking, or use to dip barbecued lamb cutlets.

Make a marinade for salmon fillets by combining: 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup dry sherry, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 clove of garlic, crushed. Marinate up to 4 hours, remove from marinade and bake in a 160^oC oven for 10 minutes. While fish is baking pour marinade into a saucepan, and reduce over low heat to about half. Drizzle reduced pomegranate marinade over fish to serve.

Baked fish parcels – place pieces of firm fleshed fish in centre of piece of tinfoil or parchment paper, drizzle over pomegranate molasses, slivers of garlic, sliced lemon, and finely sliced fennel. Complete with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, close up parcel, and bake at 180^oC till cooked through.

Make a dressing using pomegranate molasses, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper, add chopped flat leaf parsley and mint. Use this dressing over any of the following combinations:

*  Char-grilled eggplant and courgette, roasted tomatoes and carrots, black olives and feta cheese

*  Roasted pumpkin and mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, baby spinach and grilled haloumi

*  Mesclun leaves, toasted hazelnuts, sliced apple, dates and goats cheese

Drizzle pomegranate molasses over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. 

Do you have any other great ideas for using pomegranate molasses?  If so, I'd love to hear about them.  In the meantime, on with today's recipe ...

Fried Cauliflower with Tahini & Pomegranate

Adapted from recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

from Jerusalem:  A Cookbook

Serves four as part of a mezze table

or serves two as a generous side dish

or serves one as a substantial meal

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

1/2 a head cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 cup tahini paste

1/4 cup natural Greek-style yoghurt

1x garlic clove, crushed

handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

handful mint leaves, finely chopped

1x lemon, zest and juice

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses, plus extra to finish

water

flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

handful of pomegranate seeds

Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.  Add cauliflower to the hot oil and saute until golden and tender.  Remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain, and sprinkle liberally with flaky sea salt.  You will probably have to do this in two batches.  Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl mix together tahini, yoghurt, crushed garlic, parsley, mint, lemon juice and zest, and  pomegranate molasses.  Add sufficient water to thin to a smooth, pourable sauce - about the consistency of runny honey.  Taste and add flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Arrange cauliflower in a bowl or serving platter, drizzle over the tahini sauce.  Finish with an extra drizzle of pomegranate molasses, a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint.

Delicious served warm or at room temperature.

If you would like to get to know Yotam Ottolenghi a little better, and to see what everyone has cooked up for our final feast together, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and check out the links ...

... or check out Jerusalem and Ottolenghi's other great titles available from Amazon USA, Amazon UK or Fishpond NZ.

         

I am also sharing this post at Tasting Jerusalem, a virtual cooking community exploring the vibrant flavors and cuisine of the Middle East through the lens of “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” by Ottolenghi and Tamimi published by Ten Speed Press. You can follow along and cook with us by subscribing to omgyummy.com, following the hashtag #TastingJrslm on Twitter and Instagram, and liking our Facebook page.

And, because it would be rude not to, I'm sharing this post this week at See Ya In the Gumbo hosted by the lovely, Michelle at Ms. enPlace, at Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth at Beth Fish Reads, and at Foodie Friday, hosted by Designs by Gollam.

                     

Maqluba

As we start to near the end of our incredible journey with Yotam Ottolenghi, our theme this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs is "New to Me" - an opportunity to explore ingredients, cooking techniques or cuisines which are new or relatively unfamiliar to us.

This happily coincided with our Tasting Jerusalem challenge to use the spice blend known as baharat, which is definitely a new to me ingredient.  According to several sources I found, baharat is a blend of several spices, very common in Middle Eastern cooking, for flavouring fish, meat and stews, as well as grains and pulses..  The spices which are included will vary geographically, and no doubt from one household to another as well, but you will most likely find a combination of the following spices: black pepper, coriander, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon.  Some of you maybe be able to find baharat at your local Middle Eastern store, but I had to make my own.  I found numerous recipes (I'm sure there are a gazillion out there), but since I was going to use it in an Ottolenghi dish, I used Ottolenghi's version from "Jerusalem:  A Cookbook".  This version didn't include paprika as I had seen in some other versions, and I also found that many of the other versions I check out had considerably more pepper than Ottolenghi's.  I think next time I would definitely like to try the inclusion of paprika, and probably double the amount of black peppercorns.  I would probably also increase the cinnamon slightly and reduce the cloves a bit.  But that's just me.

The Maqluba is a sensational dish - definitely what I would call family celebration fare.  There's a little bit of effort involved in prepping this dish, so it's not a mid-week throw it together in 15 minutes kind of dinner.  But I did take a couple of little shortcuts to make life easier, and to also make a slightly healthier version.  The essence of the dish is layers of tomatoes, fried aubergine, fried cauliflower, poached chicken, rice and spices all cooked in a stock made from the chicken, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and you can turn the dish out like a giant "cake".

Turned out it looks pretty impressive, if not exactly "beautiful" - certainly not the most photogenic dish I've produced.  Like every Ottolenghi dish I've tried so far though it is a triumph of taste and textures, and delicious on its own (even better the second day), and a side of yoghurt and cucumber sauce turns it into sublime.  I hope you can find the time and occasion to make this dish - it's definitely worth the effort.

Some changes I made to the original recipe:  Fresh tomatoes are not a happening thing in these parts right now, so I used some slow-roasted tomatoes from my freezer, along with a couple of tinned tomatoes, torn into pieces.  Aubergine are not exactly seasonal here right now either, and worth a king's ransom, but I did push the boat out to splurge on one of these beauties instead of the two called for in the recipe - the one I had was largish (that is, bigger than what I would call medium, but smaller than what I would call large - can you tell I'm not a black or white person), and I think it was enough.  Instead of frying the aubergine in oil, I brushed with a little oil and baked the slices in the oven until golden - less oil, less mess, and less of my time standing over a frypan!  The recipe also called for frying the cauliflower, but I blanched it instead - once again, less mess, no standing over a frypan, and healthier.  No doubt, there is an extra dimension of flavour that comes from frying these ingredients that I would have lost (of course fried food tastes better!), and if you feel inclined to stand around over pots of hot oil, flipping and turning, then knock yourself out - personally, it was a small sacrifice I was prepared to make for a healthier, more fuss-free version, and there is so much going on in this dish that I don't think I missed out on much.  I also used a bit less chicken than called for in the original recipe, simply because that was what I had on hand, and I didn't find that the extra was needed.  Another observation I did have ... you may have seen my recent post, in which I enjoyed this dish at a delicious lunch I shared at Ephesus Restaurant with Beth Lee.  That was my first experience of this dish and, as such, became my benchmark for it.  In that version, cinnamon was definitely a dominant flavour, and I found that was less so in Ottolenghi's version - I missed that, and I would definitely increase the amount of cinnamon next time.   

Maqluba Recipe

Adapted from recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

from Jerusalem:  A Cookbook
Makes 4 to 6 generous servings

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

olive oil

1x large or 2x medium aubergine, cut crosswise into 0.5cm (1/4") slices

1-1/2 cups basmati rice

500g (1 lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 leek, halved lengthwise, washed, and cut into chunks

10 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 medium cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets

8x slow-roasted tomato halves, plus 3x whole canned tomatoes roughly torn,

or substitute 3-4 medium fresh tomatoes, cut into 0.5cm (1/4") slices

4x large garlic cloves, halved

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (next time I would double this amount)

1 teaspoon ground allspice (next time I would halve this amount)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon baharat spice mix (store-bought, or see recipe page 299 of Jerusalem: A Cookbook)

generous handful of walnuts sauteed in butter until golden

1 cup natural Greek style yoghurt

1/2 telegraph cucumber, peeled, deseeded & finely chopped

large handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

generous pinch of salt

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in cold water with 1 teaspoon of salt for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F).

Spread aubergine slices out, in a single layer, on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.  Brush aubergine slices with olive oil on both sides, and put tray into the preheated oven.  Bake until the aubergine is golden, turning them over half way through.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a small amount of olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add the chicken to the pan and sear until golden brown on both sides.  Add the chopped leek, bay leaves, peppercorns and 4 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from the liquid and set aside.  Strain the stock and reserve for later.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a medium sized pot of lightly salted water to the boil, add the cauliflower, and cook until only just fork tender.  Remove from heat and drain.

Lightly oil the base and sides of a saucepan or casserole dish that is 24-26cm (9-10") in diameter and 12cm (5") deep (I used a cast iron Dutch oven).  Line the base with a circle of non-stick baking paper, and then begin to layer up the dish.

To begin with, arrange tomatoes in a single layer over the base of the casserole, and top with the aubergine slices.  Arrange the cauliflower florets over the aubergines, and top with the chicken thighs (roughly sliced).  Drain the rice, spread over the chicken, and top with the garlic halves.  Add all the spices and 1 teaspoon of salt into 3 cups of the reserved stock, whisk to mix well, and pour over the rice.  Press firmly down with your hands to make sure all the rice is submerged in the stock, adding a little more stock or water if necessary to cover everything.

Set the casserole over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmering, cover the casserole, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes (don't be tempted to lift the lid during that time).  At the end of the cooking time, remove the pan from the heat, take off the lid, put a clean tea towel over the top, and quickly return the lid.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix yoghurt, cucumber, coriander and salt together, and set aside.

Remove the lid of the casserole, place a large serving plate over the top, and quickly invert the dish onto the plate.  Leave the casserole dish there for a couple of minutes, before slowly lifting off.  Sprinkle the buttered walnuts over the top, and serve with the yoghurt and cucumber on the side.   

If you would like to get to know Yotam Ottolenghi a little better, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all cooked up ...

... or check out Jerusalem and Ottolenghi's other great titles available from Amazon USA, Amazon UK or Fishpond NZ.

         

Have a look also at what my "Tasting Jerusalem" friends have been doing - you'll find plenty of other great uses for the baharat you now have in your spice cupboard, along with other interesting ingredients as well. (“Tasting Jerusalem is a virtual cooking community exploring the vibrant flavors and cuisine of the Middle East through the lens of “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” by Ottolenghi and Tamimi published by Ten Speed Press. You can follow along and cook with us by subscribing to omgyummy.com, following the hashtag #TastingJrslm on Twitter and Instagram, liking our Facebook page or joining our Google+ Community and finally checking out all of our groups’ dishes on Pinterest.”)

I'll also be sharing this post at See Ya In the Gumbo hosted by the lovely, and very amusing, Michelle at Ms. enPlace, at Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads, at Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollam.

         

Roasted Cauliflower & Almond Salad

This post is going to be brief, very brief.  Right now I'm packing to go on holiday for a month and, as is my usual bent, I have left just about everything to the last minute ("why do today what you can put off till tomorrow?" has long been my motto), so the fact that I'm doing a post at all is something of a miracle.

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs our theme is Pot Luck - normally a week when I like to go a bit "all out" and do something special - but for reasons mentioned above that's just not happening.  Over the last week, as I get myself ready for departure, quick and easy has most times been the order of the day.  And this roasted cauliflower salad from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem: A Cookbook has become a regular stand-by in my kitchen of late.  It's no secret, if you visit here regularly, that one of my favourite meals (summer or winter) is a salad, and in the middle of the southern hemisphere winter this salad is easy to put together (in the absence of leafy greens), and substantial enough for the cooler weather.  It also just so happens that at Tasting Jerusalem this month our theme is salads, so this post is doing double duty.

This quantity would probably feed four people as a side dish, and indeed I think it would be delicious with a bit of lightly roasted salmon or grilled lamb chops, but I love it as a meal all on its own and, as such, this makes two fairly substantial meal sized portions.

Ever one to gild the lilly, I've tricked the original recipe up a little with the addition of some preserved lemon and black olives, as well as a touch of pomegranate molasses.  I also used salted almonds instead of the roasted hazelnuts called for in the original recipe.  I've made it with the hazelnuts too, and even though hazelnuts are frequently my "preferred" nut in so many salads, somehow in this one I think I like the almonds just a little better.

Like every Ottolenghi recipe I've tried so far, this one offers a sensational combination of flavours and textures.  I urge you to try it.  'Nuff said ... I need to get on with the packing.  

Roasted Cauliflower & Almond Salad

Adapted from recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

from Jerusalem:  A Cookbook

Serves 2 to 4 people

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

1x head cauliflower, cut into small florets

olive oil

flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1x large stick of celery, thinly sliced

generous handful roasted, salted almonds, roughly chopped

generous handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/4 of a preserved lemon, flesh discarded & skin finely chopped

handful kalamata olives

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

extra parsley leaves to garnish

handful pomegranate seeds

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (425 degrees F).

Toss cauliflower florets with a generous slosh of olive oil (2-3 tablespoons), and season liberally with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Tip into an oven dish, ideally in a single layer, and put into the preheated oven.  Cook until the cauliflower is tender and golden (about 25 minutes).  Remove from the oven, transfer to a large bowl, and set aside to cool.

Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the cauliflower, along with the celery, almonds, parsley, preserved lemon, olives, cinnamon and allspice, vinegar, and pomegrante molasses.  Toss to combine everything well.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. 

If you would like to get to know Yotam Ottolenghi a little better, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all cooked up ...

... or check out Jerusalem and Ottolenghi's other great titles available from Amazon USA, Amazon UK or Fishpond NZ.

         

I am also sharing this post at Tasting Jerusalem, a virtual cooking community exploring the vibrant flavors and cuisine of the Middle East through the lens of “Jerusalem: A Cookbook” by Ottolenghi and Tamimi published by Ten Speed Press. You can follow along and cook with us by subscribing to omgyummy.com, following the hashtag #TastingJrslm on Twitter and Instagram, and liking our Facebook page.

I'm also, because it would be rude not to, I'm sharing this post this week at See Ya In the Gumbo hosted by the lovely, Michelle at Ms. enPlace, at Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays hosted by my good friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen, at Cook Your Books, hosted by the lovely Joyce at Kitchen Flavours, and at My Meatless Mondays hosted by Chaya at My Sweet and Savory.

                     

Cauliflower with Potatoes & Farewell to Madhur

We've had a wonderful six months at I Heart Cooking Clubs, cooking delicious Indian food with Madhur Jaffrey.  For me, this has been something of a trip down memory lane, remembering the food and flavours of my childhood.  The food of course has been wonderful, but one of the things I've found most exciting about our time with Madhur has been the way some members of our group, who had never even tasted Indian food before, have embraced this cuisine and loved it.

I didn't manage to make as many dishes as I would have liked to, but I've certainly loved every single one of Madhur's dishes that I did make ...

... and if I had to choose a favourite, it would probably be the Prawns in a Dark Sauce, only because that was the most nostalgic dish for me.  I've made it several times again since, and the Yoghurt Marinated Baked Lamb and the Black Pepper Potatoes with Lemon Turmeric Aioli are also dishes that I keep coming back to.  Interestingly, the black pepper potatoes has been the most visited one of my Madhur posts too (almost double its nearest rival), so I guess a lot of you like that one too.

And, now comes the time to say our farewells to Madhur - an occasion tinged with a little sadness (as accompanies any "goodbye"), but also with excitement about our forthcoming chef, Yotam Ottolenghi.

For my final dish with Madhur, I chose Cauliflower with Potatoes (Phool gobi aur aloo ki bhaji) from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery, partly because this is the kind of simple, homely kind of dish that I think epitomises Indian home cooking for me, and partly because I had a head of cauliflower in the veggie crisper that need to be used up.  This dish doesn't have any sauce, and is fabulous just scooped up with some flatbread (I could happily make a meal of this on its own).  As it turned out I had this as an accompaniment to roast pork, and I think it would be a great addition to any other meal of roasted or grilled meats.

Cauliflower with Potatoes Recipe

Adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey from

Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery

Vegetarian

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

4x small or 2x medium potatoes

1x medium-sized cauliflower, cut into chunky florets

3-4 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1x fresh red chilli, finely chopped (remove seeds if you want less heat)

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

generous pinch flaky sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Boil potatoes in their jackets until just fork tender.  Drain and allow to cool completely.  Peel off the skins and cut into 2cm (3/4 inch) dice.  Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat.  Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and, as soon as the seeds start to sizzle, add the cauliflower florets to the pan.  Toss the cauliflower in the pan until all the florets are coated in the oil and seeds.  Now, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and cook gently until the cauliflower is browned in places and just tender - stir from time to time.  About 6-10 minutes.

Once the cauliflower is tender, add the ground spices, chilli, potatoes, salt and pepper.  Stir gently to coat all of the cauliflower and potato with the spices, and continue to cook on low heat for a few more minutes until the potatoes have warmed through.

Serve hot, but is also good at room temperature.

If you would like to get to know Madhur a little better, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all cooked up ...

... or check out Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking and many of Madhur's other great titles available from Amazon USA, Amazon UK or Fishpond NZ.

         

I'm also sharing this post at See Ya In the Gumbo hosted by the lovely Michelle at Ms. enPlace.

Chargrilled Cauliflower, Tomato & Fennel Salad

This time last year (year before too, actually) I was enjoying five weeks of absolute bliss on the Greek island of Paros - daily yoga classes;  morning swims;  leisurely breakfasts with wonderful friends;  lunchtime trips to town for coffees, pastries (OMG, the pastries!!) and retail therapy;  afternoon siestas and more swimming;  poolside lounging, discussing the multitude of dinner possibilities;  then long, balmy evenings in village and oceanside tavernas, enjoying lively conversation with all my yoga companions, not to mention fabulous food and, of course, the ouzo.

As an aside, you can read other posts and recipes from my Greek island holdiays here:

Remembering Paros & Dried Fruit Compote

Greek Salad

Paros Potatoes

Roasted Aubergine, Green Olive & Mizithra Salad

Seville Orange Spoon Sweets

Pasta e Ceci

Cappuccino Freddo/Coffee Granita

Anyway, why you may ask am I bringing all that up now?  Well I first made and photographed this dish just a couple of weeks before my trip last year, while I was hanging out in Alli's cooking school (oh, the memories).  I duly committed the recipe to draft, and had the idea that one of my leisurely afternoons by the pool, with laptop by my side, would be spent knocking this into a post.  Nope, absolutely, did not happen!

Still, I've made this salad many times now since then - it is a real favourite - and as (despite the price), I seem to be absolutely mad for cauliflower right now, I thought it was high time I dragged this one out, dusted it off and shared it with you.  This is great eaten slightly warm or at room temperature - that said, it's not half bad the next day as well, should you be lucky enough to have any leftovers.

This makes a great starter or side, but I am more than happy to just tuck into a huge bowl of this as a meal.

This is another recipe I adapted slightly from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, which as you know by now is one of my favourite cookbooks, and is my contribution this week to Cookbook Sundays.  This would definitely be one of my desert island cookbooks, and if you are not yet convinced that you should add this one to your collection, check out my sidebar for other dishes I've made from this book that might inspire you.

Also available in New Zealand from Fishpond 

Chargrilled Cauliflower, Tomato & Fennel Salad Recipe

Adapted from recipe from

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Serves 2 as a light meal or

Serves 4 as a starter or side dish

Vegetarian

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

2 tablespoons capers, drained & roughly chopped

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

1x small cauliflower, divided into florets

1x fennel bulb, thinly sliced or shaved (use a mandoline if you have one)

2x large handfuls baby spinach leaves

20 cherry tomatoes, halved

flakey sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Begin by making the dressing.  In a small bowl (a mortar and pestle is particularly good for this if you have one), mix (or pound) together the capers, mustard, garlic, vinegar and some salt and pepper.  Then whisk vigorously while you add the olive oil in a slow trickle (probably around 3 to 4 tablespoons), until you get a thick, creamy dressing.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, salt liberally, and add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water.  Simmer for 3 minutes only, then drain immediately into a colander and run under a cold tap to halt the cooking process.  Leave in the colander to dry well.  Once dry, place in a mixing bowl with more olive oil (again, around 3 to 4 tablespoons) and some salt and pepper.  Toss well.

Preheat a ridged griddle pan over high heat for about 5 minutes or until very hot.  Then grill the cauliflower in a few batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.  Turn the cauliflower pieces from time to time as they grill, to get nice little charred bits all over.

Once nicely charred, transfer to a bowl, and while the cauliflower is still hot, add the dressing, fennel, spinach and tomatoes.  Stir together well, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm or at room temperature, adjusting the seasoning again at the last minute.

I'm sharing this dish this week at Cookbook Sundays, where my friends are delving into their cookbook collections and sharing some of their recipes.  Do stop by to see what they're cooking - you might even feel inspired to link up a recipe from one of your own cookbooks.

I'm also sharing this post at Foodie Fridays hosted by Designs by Gollum.  This week Michael is having a summery picnic on the lawn - I know that's not exactly the kind of thing that springs to mind right now here in the depths of the New Zealand winter, but I loved her idea of serving salad in one of those big, lidded glass cookie jars.  Beautiful presentation, and a great idea for transporting food outdoors - check it out.

I'm also sharing at Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays, hosted by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen, and at Gallery of Favourites hosted by April at 21st Century Housewife.