Cauliflower Salad

Whilst maybe not awe-inspiring in its name, you'll just have to trust me with this one. The recipe comes from a Chicago Chef Jason Vincent, who has engineered a total masterpiece here. Crunchy, Fatty, Tangy, Creamy and Salty this dish has it all. Don't be deterred by the seemingly fussy ingredient list (it's mainly herbs), you'll thank me later.

Serving Suggestion: alongside a slow roasted lamb joint or as a stand-alone salad.

Difficulty Level: 3

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Ingredients:

Serves 4 as a side or 2-3 as a main

• 1 large head of cauliflower, stem trimmed

• ½ small onion, coarsely chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, crushed

• ¼ cup of basil leaves (a handful or so)

• ¾ teaspoon Madras curry powder

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• ¼ cup Parmesan (7 grams), finely grated, plus 85 grams cut into ¼ inch cubes

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• ¼ cup parsley leaves, plus more for serving

• ¼ cup mint leaves, plus more for serving

• 4 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice, divided

• ¾ teaspoon sugar, plus more

• Kosher salt

• ¼ cup golden raisins

• 200g feta in brine (regular feta is fine, just blend with a dribble of water and a pinch of salt)

• ½ cup chopped salted, roasted almonds

• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced, divided

• ½ cup coriander leaves, divided

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Place cauliflower on a foil-lined baking tray. Blend onion, garlic, basil, curry powder, cayenne, grated Parmesan, ¼ cup oil, ¼ cup parsley, ¼ cup mint, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ¾ tsp. sugar in a blender until smooth. Slather onion purée over cauliflower so it covers the entire surface in a thick layer; season generously with salt. Roast cauliflower until florets are tender and browned but stem is still firm and crunchy, 40–45 minutes. To test if its done, stick a skewer into the centre of head—it should face some resistance at the core. Leave to cool.

2. Meanwhile, toss raisins, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, and a pinch each of salt and sugar in a small bowl. Let sit until raisins re-hydrate and are plump, 10–15 minutes.

3. Process feta in a food processor in long pulses, thinning with brine (aka water and a pinch of salt) as needed, until feta is smooth and the consistency of Greek yogurt.

4. Transfer cauliflower to a cutting board and cut into chunky pieces (~5 cm). Transfer to a large bowl and add almonds, cubed Parmesan, and raisins with their soaking liquid. Drizzle with oil, season with salt, and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt and lemon juice, if needed. Fold in half of the spring onions and half of the coriander.

5. Spread feta across bottom of a large platter and mound cauliflower mixture over. Top with remaining spring onions, coriander, and more parsley and mint. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.