Quick and easy to prepare, this roasted cauliflower salad is served with barley, crunchy chipotle almonds, juicy pomegranate seeds and a generous amount of freshly chopped parsley.
Quick and easy to prepare, this roasted cauliflower salad is served with barley, crunchy chipotle almonds, juicy pomegranate seeds and a generous amount of freshly chopped parsley. Tossed in a lemon and caper dressing, this hearty dish is best eaten warm or at room temperature.
To give this recipe a plant-based protein boost, I have also added some butter beans.
I got the idea of the crunchy chipotle almonds from Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest cookbook “Flavour” (more on this little gem next week!) and his “Radish and Cucumber Salad with Chipotle Peanuts”.
I have adapted the ingredients to this roasted cauliflower salad, cooking the almonds with maple syrup, crushed chipotle chillies, lemon juice and oil until they are smothered with a delicious golden caramel. Make sure you do not let the caramel go too dark, as it will become too bitter. Once, cooled down you can chop the almonds with a knife and sprinkle over this dish for a nice crunchy and smoky touch.
After many years of eating cauliflower blanched, I discovered that roasting it was a much better way of preparing it. Roasting not only deepens flavours but also enables to keep the heartiness of cauliflower (as long as of course you do not cook it for too long). Another quick and easy favourite recipe of mine is this Roasted Cauliflower with Chermoula dish below.
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Barley & Crunchy Chipotle Almonds [vegan]
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Ingredients
- 1 kg cauliflower head trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 100 g barley
- 125 g almonds
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ to 1 tsp crushed chipotle chillis
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 400 g can butter beans
DRESSING:
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp capers
- 1 small garlic clove crushed
TO SERVE:
- Generous handful of freshly chopped parsley
- 80 g of pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Cut cauliflower in medium size florets. Toss together with 2 crushed garlic cloves, 4 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice until well coated all over. Spread on a baking tray and cook for around 30 mins until the cauliflower is soft and brown (it should still have a bite).
- While the cauliflower is in the oven, cook the barley, prepare the chipotle almonds and make the dressing.
- To cook the barley, preheat some water in a saucepan. When boiling, add the barley and cook according to packet instructions. When done, drain and set aside.
- To make the chipotle almonds, place 125g of whole almonds in a pan with maple syrup, light brown sugar, salt, crushed chipotle chillies, olive oil and lemon juice. Bring the liquid to the boil, then cook under medium heat for around 5 minutes until the liquid has caramelised (you are aiming for a nice golden colour, as otherwise if the caramel becomes too dark it will become bitter). Once done, spread the almond mixture on a baking sheet and leave to cool. When cooled down completely, roughly chop the almonds with a large knife.
- To make the dressing, mix together 4 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 Tbsp capers and 1 small crushed garlic clove.
- When cauliflower is cooked, mix it together with the cooked barley. Add drained butter beans and a generous handful of freshly chopped parsley. Toss everything in the lemon dressing. Season to taste. Top with pomegranate seeds and chipotle almonds. This salad is best eaten slightly warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Find this recipe online:
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Barley & Crunchy Chipotle Almonds [vegan]
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/roasted-cauliflower-salad-with-barley-crunchy-chipotle-almonds-vegan/
I cannot wait to see your posts!
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