ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SALAD: SHAVED ZUCCHINI, SNOW PEA AND LEMON SALAD
I’m going to sound like a goody-goody swot if I say that salad is my favourite food. Not chocolate. Not fried noodles or crispy bacon. Not even the best ice cream, although that could be touch and go.
No, it’s salad – the life of the garden on a plate, picked up and tricked up with just the right dressing and extra bits and pieces to make the whole thing sing.
I could eat it every day. Wait a minute… I do.
So, here are two vegetable salads for you that are easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
The dressings in each case will work with a lot of other vegetables and herbs if you don’t have the prescribed ones on hand. And there’s half the fun, making them to suit yourself.
Then you have to love them!
Jan
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Serves 6-8
1 large cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
5-6 large radishes, finely sliced
½ bunch flat-leafed parsley, leaves picked and chopped
4 tablespoons roasted whole almonds, roughly chopped
Pinch of sumac
Lemon Yoghurt Dressing
250 ml Greek yoghurt
150 ml crème fraiche
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sumac
1 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper, ground
Mix dressing ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until required.
Set oven to 200°C fan-forced.
Break cauliflower into small florets and toss well with olive oil. Line an oven tray with baking paper and add cauliflower to pan. Sprinkle with salt.
Roast for half an hour, turning the florets once or twice to recoat with the oil.
Test cauliflower with a skewer and continue to roast until cooked and nicely browned. Keep cauliflower warm, or gently reheat if cooked earlier.
When ready to serve spread a ring of dressing around the edge of a flat dish or platter (you may have some left over for another use.)
Add the radishes and half the parsley to the cauliflower florets and toss to combine. Turn the cauliflower into the centre of the platter.
Top with chopped almonds, remaining parsley and a good scattering of sumac.
SHAVED ZUCCHINI, SNOW PEA AND LEMON SALAD
Serves 6
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
4 medium zucchinis, washed, dried and trimmed
100 gm snow peas, washed, dried and trimmed
3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
3 tablespoons almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
½ bunch mint, leaves torn
½ bunch flat-leaved parsley, leaves roughly chopped
Mix lemon juice, zest, honey, mustard and olive oil in a screw-top jar. Add seasoning and shake to amalgamate dressing. Taste and adjust if necessary.
Shave the zucchini into fine strips on a mandoline. Slice the snow peas into fine strips.
Add vegetables to a bowl and mix through parmesan, nuts, herbs and dressing
Season again if necessary and top with lemon zest.
TIP: If snow peas are unavailable green beans make a good substitute. Brush with a little oil and sear them on a grill. Slice finely.