Moorish Roasted Cauliflower

The cauliflower season is here and makes for a good excuse to share a little teaser from the new cookery book, a real crowd-pleaser on our Moroccan classes. This is a recipe that takes cauliflower to a whole new level. Cauliflower often gets boiled, but it's so much better when roasted. Here we have spiced it with Moroccan Ras-el-Hanout spice mix, which you can buy, but it's far more interesting and flavoursome to make your own.

Moorish Roasted Cauliflower With Almonds

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflowers, cut into florets
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp Ras-el-Hanout spice mix
• Rapeseed oil for roasting
• 3 tbsp flaked almonds
• Chopped coriander or parley to serve
• Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 6
2. Place the Cauliflower in a large, deep baking tin or heat proof dish.
3. Add the spices and enough oil to lightly coat the cauliflower, rub in with your hands so that the florets are well coated in spice.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and add the chopped garlic and flaked almonds, mix and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until the almonds are golden (make sure they don’t burn!)
6. Remove from the oven and stir in the chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and add salt, pepper, lemon or more herbs to taste.
7. Serve as a side dish or starter.

Tips:

• This dish goes well with tahini. Just mix about 4 tbsp light tahini with a generous squeeze of lemon, some chopped garlic and seasoning (and chilli powder if you like). Mix to a smooth dippable paste with water. You will have to add it bit by bit to loosen up the tahini. Taste the dip and check seasoning and lemon before serving.
• This dish would be delicious served alongside a tagine or curry.

Image credit: Rob Wicks, Eat Pictures