Buffalo Cauliflower and Chickpea Bowl

Recipe courtesy of an article in Psychologies Magazine (June 2020) and taken from a recipe book called Big Night In: Delicious Themed Menus to Cook & Eat at Home by Ryland, Peters & Small.

A taste bud-tickling vegan dish that’s a riot of flavours. Enjoy as a side, a veggie-filled lunch or a light dinner.

Serves : 4

Buffalo Cauliflower

Ingredients : Tahini Ranch Dressing
(Makes about 175ml)
50g tahini, mixed well
60ml warm water
2 tblsp finely chopped chives
1 tblsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 tsp maple syrup
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt

For the Cauliflower :
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 tblsp olive oil
3 tblsp hot sauce
Salt, to season

For the chickpeas :
1 tblsp avocado or olive oil
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tblsp hot sauce
Salt, to season

For the Salad:
1 bunch cavolo nero, stems removed and shredded
1-2 tblsp ‘Tahini ranch dressing’ plus extra to serve
1 large carrot, ribboned
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

Method :

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7. First make the ‘Tahini ranch dressing’. In a small bowl, beat together all the ingredients until well combined. Or, puree everything in a small food processor. Add a splash more water, if needed, for your desired consistency. Set aside.

Prepare the cauliflower by adding it to a large bowl with the oil and 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce. Season with salt and mix together until the cauliflower is well coated.

Spread on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Take out and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of hot sauce.

Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cauliflower is lightly browned at the edges.

To make the chickpeas, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas, garlic powder and salt to season.

Cook for 3 minutes, tossing regularly. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes, until the chickpeas start to brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of hot sauce.

Combine the cavolo nero with the ‘Tahini ranch dressing’ in a bowl. Massage the dressing into the cavolo nero until it begins to soften. Toss in the carrot and red onion and mix until everything is coated in the dressing. Divide the salad into bowls and top with the cauliflower, chickpeas and extra dressing.

Cauliflower Soup with Curry-fried Apple

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (November 2018) and taken from 30-Minute Vegetarian: 100 Green Recipes to Prep in 30 Minutes or Less by Ylva Bergqvist.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
Olive oil, for frying and to serve
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g cauliflower
200g cooked butter beans
500ml cashew or almond milk, unsweetened
300ml water
1 tblsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt

For the Curry-fried apple
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
Olive oil, for frying
2 tsp curry powder
100g pumpkin seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step One : Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat for around 5 minutes, until soft.

Step Two : Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower, cut them into smaller pieces and reserve them. Cut the rest of the cauliflower into small pieces.

Step Three : Place the cauliflower, beans and nut milk in the saucepan. Add water to cover the contents, put on the lid and cook for around 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is completely soft.

Step Four : To cook the apple, put the apple and reserved cauliflower leaves in a frying pan with a little olive oil, sprinkle over the curry powder and fry until soft. Add the pumpkin seeds and ensure everything is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.

Step Five : Drain a little of the milk from the saucepan into a bowl. Blend the soup until it is smooth. Reintroduce the milk and/or water and dilute to your preferred consistency. Season with the lemon juice and salt.

Step Six : Top the cauliflower soup with the fried apple and a drizzle of olive oil, to serve.

Cauliflower Shawarma with Pomegranate Seeds

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies magazine and taken from Berber & Q by Josh Katz.

If there was a single dish that has come to symbolise Berber & Q, it would be their cauliflower shawarma!

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

For the Shawarma Butter

• 40g unsalted butter, softened
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground sumac
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• 1 whole cauliflower

For the Garnish
• 4 tbsp Tahini Sauce
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 ½ tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 1 small green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp dried rose petals
• 1 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Step One – To make the butter, combine all the ingredients in a mixer or whisk in a large bowl. Set aside until needed. It can be kept in the fridge for several weeks, but must be brought to room temperature before using.

Step Two – Trim the outer cauliflower leaves, leaving some stragglers behind. Set a large saucepan of salted water on a high heat and cover with a lid. Once boiling, lower the cauliflower into the pan.

Step Three – Bring the water back to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium, so the water has a gentle roll. The intention is to par-cook the cauliflower. It should take 7 minutes from when the water comes back to the boil.

Step Four – Set the cauliflower on a cooling rack over a roasting tray and allow to drip-dry. Brush all over with the spiced butter, and try and get beneath the floret canopy to reach the inner sections. Retain some of the butter for brushing later. Season with salt and pepper.

Step Five – Preheat the oven to 240oC, gas mark 9, and blast the cauliflower for 5-7 minutes, until blackened all over. (You want it to lightly char, not to form an acrid burned crust). Once sufficiently oven-roasted, transfer it to finish on the barbecue for a few minutes, basting it periodically with any leftover butter.

Step Six – Transfer to a serving plate. Spoon over the Tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses, and finish by sprinkling over the pine nuts, green chilli, pomegranate seeds, rose petals and parsley. A drizzle of olive oil adds a nice glossy finish. Serve immediately – the cauliflower tastes so much better when hot.

Spiced Cod with Turmeric-Roasted Cauliflower

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (February 2017) and taken from Clean Eating Alice Eat Well Every Day: Nutritious, healthy recipes for life on the go by Alice Living.

A diet high in cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, has been linked to a reduction in the risk of cancer. Cauliflower is also full of antioxidants and dietary fibre and is therefore a superfood that you should be including in your diet. Paired with some heavenly baked fish and spices, this is a great weeknight supper staple.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

100g Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 sprigs each of fresh mint and coriander, leaves chopped
1 tsp turmeric, plus an extra pinch
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 large cod fillets
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp coconut oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Step One – In a bowl, mix the yogurt and garlic with the chopped mint and coriander, a pinch of turmeric and the cumin, until completely combined.

Step Two – Add the cod, turn to coat and set aside to marinate.

Step Three – Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / Gas Mark 6.

Step Four – Put the coconut oil into a roasting tray and place in the hot oven until melted. Add the cauliflower, sprinkle over a teaspoon of turmeric and season with a little salt and pepper then toss in the oil to cover.

Step Five – Roast in the hot oven for 40 minutes, adding the fish for the final 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with tahini and tomato salsa

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Spring 2018) and recipe taken from a booking called Feasting.

If you don’t have time to slow roast the cauliflower, parboil it until soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:-

1 large cauliflower head
1 tbsp saffron threads
1 tbsp sumac
1 tsp ground turmeric
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground chilli
90ml olive oil, plus extra if needed
1 tsp salt
540g Tahini dip, to serve
80g slivered pistachios, to garnish
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds, to garnish
2 tbsp chilli hair, to garnish

For the Tomato Salsa:-

1/4 red onion, finely diced
5 tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice

Step One: Preheat the oven to 180oC / 350oF / Gas Mark 4. Put the cauliflower head on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Mix the saffron threads with 500ml of boiling water, then set aside to steep for 15-20 minutes.

Step Two: In a bowl, combine the saffron liquid with the sumac, ground spices, oil and salt. Pour the mix over the cauliflower, making sure it is evenly coated. Cover the tray with foil and roast in the oven for 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the saffron liquid. Add more oil if needed.

Step Three: Remove the foil and roast for a further 10 minutes to brown the cauliflower. While it is browning, make the tomato salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Season to taste with salt.

Step Four: To serve, spread the Tahini dip on a platter and place the cauliflower on top. Cut out a generous wedge of cauliflower and pile the salsa inside and around the edges. Garnish with the slivered pistachios, pomegranate seeds and chilli hair (find in speciality food stores.