Yotam's Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad

This salad made for an interesting lunch today ! Soft, salty, roasted cauliflower meets cool, crunchy celery, browned and roasted hazelnuts, and chopped cranberries (as I didn't have pomegranate seeds). All this tossed with just the hint of a sweet, sour, and slightly spiced vinaigrette. There are so many interesting flavors in this salad. Roasted cauliflower and nut salads are out there a lot these days, but this one is distinctly different. Look at the list of ingredients and you'll see why. It's all in the dressing.

Ottolenghi's Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad

adapted from the recipe in Jerusalem

Serves 3 or 4

Ingredients:

1 medium head of cauliflower, washed and broken into bite-sized florets and chunks

5 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 large stalk celery, washed and sliced on the diagonal

5 tbsp. whole hazelnuts, skins on

1/3 c. flat leaf parsley, leaves picked off

1/3 c. dried cranberries, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1 tbsp. Sherry vinegar

1 and 1/2 tsp. maple syrup

Kosher salt and ground pepper

Making the Salad:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Toss the prepped cauliflower bits with 3 tbsp of the olive oil measure, Kosher salt and black pepper and spread in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Roast on the top tray of the oven for 25 minutes or so. The edges should be golden and some bits should be a bit blacken and crunchy.

3. While the cauliflower roasts, prep the cranberries, celery, and flat leaf parsley and set aside.

4. When the cauliflower is roasted, turn it into a large prep dish and set it aside to cool a bit. Lower the oven temp to 325 degrees F and pop the hazelnuts on the same pan that the cauliflower roasted on. Return to the oven and roast the nuts for about 15 minutes, until nicely browned. 

5. Turn the nuts out on a cutting board and coarsely chop them. Let them cool a bit.

6. Turn the cranberries, celery, and parsley in with the cauliflower and add the cooled nuts.

7. Drizzle on the Sherry vinegar, remaining 2 tbsp of the olive oil, and the maple syrup.  Sprinkle on the cinnamon and allspice. Toss everything lightly to coat the salad ingredients and taste to see if more Kosher salt and pepper is called for. 

8. Serve the salad just slightly warm or at room temperature.