Persian Roasted Cauliflower Salad

A beautiful and interesting salad with Persian spiced and roasted cauliflower, a fresh mixture of herbs and topped with some roasted nuts and a unique dressing of pomegranate molasses.

My idea of the perfect salad, colourful, lots of textures and full of flavour!

You can find pomegranate molasses online here and from any good delis.

Getting Ahead: All the individual elements of the salad can be be made a day or two ahead, I would only toss everything together once ready to serve.

Serves 4

Would be magical served with a vibrant beetroot hummus and a quick flatbread or Middle Eastern inspired focaccia on the side.

Spice Grinder or a Pestle and Mortar

• 1 large or two small cauliflowers, trimmed and broken into bitesized florets
• 2 cups coriander leaves picked, roughly chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves picked, roughly chopped
• 1 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dill fonds
• juice of 1 limes
• zest of two limes
• 80g flaked almonds
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Spice Mixture

• 4 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 cup olive oil or more
• 2 teaspoons salt

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup pomegranate Molasses *
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic minced
• pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon reserved spice marinade (as above)

1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. Spread almonds on an oven tray and roast until golden, 5-6 minutes, set aside to cool.
3. Increase the heat to 220c
4. Spice Mix: dry roast whole spices (cloves, in a small frying pan over high heat until fragrant, stirring the pan the whole time, grind in a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestle until fine. Add the ground turmeric and stir, add enough olive oil until a paste forms.  Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon for the dressing.
5. Place the cauliflower in a bowl. Add the spice mix and toss to combine trying to get into all the nook and crannies of the cauliflower florets. If you mind yellow hands wear some gloves : )
6. Scatter the cauliflower on a oven dish (or two) and roast until the cauliflower is golden and crispy, around 20 minutes, leave to cool completely.
7. Place all the dressing ingredients together in a jar and shake well taste and season.
8. Assemble: place your cooled cauliflower in a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 the dressing and toss to coat, season with the lime zest and juice, scatter all the herbs over the salad and top with the pomegranate seeds. Toss the salad well. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad and scatter over the flaked almonds.