Make a show-stopping centrepiece with our Christmas Cauliflower, served with tahini sauce, pomegranate jewels and herby stuffing balls.

Christmas Cauliflower with Herby Stuffing Balls

Christmas Cauliflower

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten free | Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 2 tsp sunflower oil

Spiced oil

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp peppercorns
• 1 tbsp paprika
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 recipe tahini sauce
• Seeds from ½ a pomegranate
• Handful of chopped herbs – parsley, mint, coriander

Method

1. To make the spiced oil dry fry the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and black pepper in a small pan for a minute until fragrant. Grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder until fine and mix in with the paprika, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt and olive oil.
2. Trim the outer leaves off the cauliflower. Rub the outside of the cauliflower with a little sunflower oil.
3. Heat a gridle pan and chargrill the whole cauliflower until browned/blackened all over on the outside.
4. Place the blackened cauliflower onto a lined baking tray and coat with the spiced oil.
5. Roast in a hot oven at 200C/180C Fan for 40 minutes until tender. The time it takes to cook will depend on the size of the cauliflower. To make sure it is cooked through use a skewer and piece through to the centre of the cauliflower.
6. Place on a serving dish, drizzle with tahini sauce, pomegranate seeds and herbs and serve with the green and red stuffing balls.

Tahini Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

• 60g tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 50ml soya yoghurt
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbsp water

Method

1. Mix the tahini with the lemon juice, yoghurt, agave syrup and salt.
2. Add enough water to make a thick but pourable consistency.

Herb Stuffing Balls

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Dietary: Vegan

Serves 4-6 | Makes 16 of each colour

Ingredients

• 260g ready cooked chestnuts
• 100g dried breadcrumbs
• 6 tbsp ground flax seeds

Green Stuffing Balls

• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g spinach, wilted and squeezed
• 20g parsley leaves
• 20g mint leaves
• 10g coriander leaves
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Red Stuffing Balls

• 2 red onions, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 80g sundried tomatoes in oil
• 1 red pepper, roasted and chopped
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Olive oil for brushing

Method

1. Place the chestnuts into a food processor and wiz up to breadcrumb consistency.
2. Mix in the breadcrumbs and ground flax seeds. Divide the mix equally into 2 bowls.
3. To make the green stuffing balls; gently fry the spring onions in the olive oil for a few minutes until they are soft.
4. Wilt the spinach and squeeze out the excess liquid. Chop the wilted spinach and herbs with the cooked spring onions until everything is finely chopped. Mix the green mixture into one of the bowls of the chestnut mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, then knead the mix together to a soft ball. Divide and roll into 16 equal sized balls.
5. To make the red stuffing balls; preheat the oven to 200C Fan and roast the red pepper until blackened, then place in a bowl covered in clingfilm, when the red pepper is cool, peel off the blackened skin and remove the stem, core and seeds and chop.
6. Peel and dice the red onions, fry in the olive oil with a pinch of sugar and salt for about 15 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to colour, add the paprika and fry for a minute.
7. Drain the excess oil off the sundried tomatoes and chop finely. Place the cooked onions, chopped sundried tomatoes and chopped roasted pepper into one of the bowls of chestnut mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, then knead the mix together to a soft ball. Divide and roll into 16 equal sized balls.
8. Brush the balls with olive oil, place on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes until firm and beginning to colour.

Delicious food photography by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

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