SERVES: 4-6
There’s a serious melody of flavours and textures in this salad. Mellow roasted cauliflower is made brazen with a tangy caper dressing and tempered with herby lemon breadcrumbs. The pangrattato recipe is a great one to have in your repertoire, and you can vary the herbs according to your personal taste.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cauliflower heads (about 2kg), cut into florets
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup baby spinach leaves
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
sea salt and black pepper
LEMON-PARSLEY PANGRATTATO:
250g stale bread, torn
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves,
finely chopped
sea salt
CAPER VINAIGRETTE:
1/2 cup capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons apple
cider vinegar
125 ml (1/2 cup) extra-virgin
olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 200°C. To make the pangrattato, place the bread in a food processor and pulse into chunky crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl and add the lemon zest, garlic, oil and a large pinch of salt. Massage everything together with your hands to make sure the crumbs are evenly coated. Spread on a tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. When cool, add the parsley to the breadcrumbs and mix to combine. You can make the pangrattato in advance and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days (when you are ready to eat, re-bake the crumbs for 3-4 minutes to make them crispy again). Toss the cauliflower in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until golden. To make the vinaigrette, mix the capers, garlic and vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a steady stream and whisk vigorously to get a thick, creamy dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required. To serve, combine the cauliflower with the vinaigrette, spinach and tomatoes. Season the salad well with salt and pepper. Top with the walnuts and scatter over the pangrattato.
Recipe kindly shared from Community New Edition by Hetty McKinnon, is published by Plum, RRP $39.99, Photography by Luisa Brimble.’
