I make a lot of cauliflower as a side dish alongside meatballs to replace pasta and other often carb heavy items. From curry to Sicilian style – I have tried it all, but it gets boring after a while, so I try to do something else. My latest kick after trying dukkah, an Egyptian spice mixture with nuts and herbs, was to try something new. I make salsa verde and charmoula frequently as an accompaniment for steak, so why not try it on cauliflower? The final effort was pretty good and well worth sharing!
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into smaller florets
2 tbsps. olive oil
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
¾ cup julienned carrots
½ cup sliced almonds
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
For Charmoula
1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
2 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (175ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine cauliflower florets and olive oil in a bowl and mix with sea salt and pepper. Turn out the mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with tin foil in a single layer. Place in the oven for 25 minutes until browned.
2. Make the chermoula by combining flat leaf parsley, cilantro, scallions, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest in a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running at low power slowly add the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Combine and set aside.
3. Remove the cauliflower from the oven when finished and immediately add the charmoula mixing it together. Add the julienned carrots, sliced almonds, and sliced red onion. Serve immediately.
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