ANCHO CAULIFLOWER, CARROT PUREE, CORIANDER SALAD

This dish makes for a beautiful centrepiece but is also delicious anytime—no need to wait for a special occasion. I like to finish it with the quick-pickle and coriander salad.

The acidity from the onion cuts through the richness of the ancho and carrot. The fragrance and freshness from the coriander complements the dish wonderfully, though if you’re not a fan of coriander feel free to use any soft herbs you have on hand.

As we’re in squash season you can also sub half of the carrots in your puree for squash, I’ve been doing this and it’s a delicious variation.

ANCHO CAULIFLOWER, CARROT PUREE, CORIANDER SALAD

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Marinated Roast Cauliflower:

1 large cauliflower

1 tbsp ground ancho (either bought pre-ground or toast and grind whole

ancho in a spice grinder)

1 tbsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp ground cumin

½ tbsp rapadura sugar

2 tbsp coconut yoghurt or cream

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil - olive oil or rapeseed

For the Carrot Purée:

800g carrots

2 whole guajillo chiles

100ml extra virgin olive oil

350ml water

1.5 tsp salt

For the Quick Pickle Onion & Coriander Salad (optional):

1 small red onion, finely sliced (or substitute with radishes)

Juice 1 lime

40g Fresh coriander, cut into large pieces, I like to treat this like a salad leaf and keep most of the stems

Method:

For the Cauliflower:

Wash the cauliflower and trim the base so it sits upright. I like to keep the leaves on if possible.

Steam the cauliflower in a steamer or a large pan with 200ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and steam for 25 minutes.

While the cauliflower is steaming, mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl: ancho, smoked paprika, cumin, sugar, coconut yoghurt or cream, salt, and oil.

Remove the cauliflower from the steamer and, once cool enough to handle, coat it with the marinade. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 210°C. Place the cauliflower on a roasting tray lined with parchment paper and roast for about 40 minutes, until tender and richly coloured. Test with a skewer or sharp knife to ensure it's cooked through.

For the Carrot Purée:

Wash and cut the carrots into equal-sized pieces. Steam them in a saucepan with 350ml water for about 20 minutes, until tender.

While the carrots are cooking, toast the guajillo chiles in a small pan over low heat for 30 seconds on each side until they puff up slightly. Be careful not to burn them, as it will result in bitterness.

Once the carrots are ready, reserve the cooking water, add the the carrots with the toasted chiles, olive oil, salt, and enough cooking water to get the blender going to your blender, blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

To Serve:

Return the carrot puree to your pan, heat an gently on low, stirring to stop sticking.

When you’re ready to serve, heat the carrot puree in a saucepan on low heat.

Create a bed of carrot puree on a plate and place the cauliflower on top. You can either do this as a centrepiece or individual plates. To do this, cut the cauliflower into quarters, divide the carrot between four plates and place each piece of cauliflower on top.

Finish with herb and quick pickle onion mix.