ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WEDGES with Saffron Yoghurt + Hazelnut Dressing
The inspiration for this recipe came from a memorable meal at Loretta's in Wellington where a whole roasted cauliflower was the highlight of the evening. I wanted to create a less time-consuming dish for a weeknight meal, with all the flavour that comes from roasting.
With a cauli the size of a football at my disposal , I cut it into large wedges and cooked until golden. Served with a selection of sauces, this dish is a pleasing side to slow-cooked meat or pan-fried fish.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower about 1.5kg
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Honeyed Saffron Yoghurt
- Pinch of saffron threads
- ½ cup natural yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Hazelnut & Mandarin Dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- Pinch of salt
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 3 tablespoons hazelnuts roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 mandarin about 2 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower, leaving the smaller inner ones attached, and cut the whole cauliflower into six to eight large wedges. Arrange the wedges on the baking tray with space between each. Sprinkle with paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle evenly with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the wedges and bake for a further 15 minutes or so until tender when pierced with a knife and slightly browned around the edges. Serve with the following sauces.
- Place the saffron threads into a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons boiling water. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
- Combine the yoghurt, honey and olive oil, mixing well to dissolve the honey. Season with salt to taste. Strain the saffron, discard the threads, and swirl the infused water through the yoghurt.
- Place the garlic and salt into a mortar and pestle and grind into a paste. Add the anchovies and hazelnuts and mix well. Squeeze in the mandarin juice, mixing until smooth then stir in the olive oil and parsley.