Cupitt’s Charred Cauliflower Salad
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
This elegant, colourful warm salad, an imaginative melange of charred cauliflower, heirloom carrots, target beetroots, mushrooms and almonds, is on the menu at Cupitt’s Winery. It’s easy to make and very delicious especially if accompanied by a 2014 Cupitt Bianco Classico.
Ingredients
- cauliflower 1 whole, sliced into 1cm thick pieces
- Dutch carrots 4
- white heirloom carrots 4
- purple heirloom carrots 4
- yellow carrots 4
- King brown mushrooms 120g, sliced
- almonds 32, split in half lengthways
- small target beetroots 2, peeled and thinly sliced (on a mandolin)
- toasted fennel seeds 20g
- lemon 1, zested and juiced
- garlic cloves 2
- olive oil 150ml
- grapeseed oil 100ml
- fresh thyme sprigs 4, leaves picked
- water 20ml
- salt and pepper to taste
To prepare the cauliflower: heat a char-grill pan. Spray the sliced cauliflower pieces lightly with olive oil and char-grill on both sides until light golden in colour. Peel all the carrots and retain carrot tops for garnish. Blanch carrots in salted boiling water until cooked. For the Dressing: Place the fennel seed and garlic in a blender along with 1/2 tsp salt and grape seed oil. Blend on high until very fine. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme water and olive oil. Blitz again for about 30 seconds. Put in a container and leave in the fridge for at least one day. Place the carrots on a tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Warm in the oven for 4-5 minutes. In the meantime saute the mushrooms in a little oil and add a knob of butter, season and place on kitchen paper. Toss the vegetables gently together. To Plate: Bring dressing to room temperature. Arrange the cauliflower and carrots on warmed plates, place the mushrooms on top and scatter the almonds and beetroot over, then drizzle the dressing over all of the ingredients, then garnish with a few of the washed and reserved carrot tops.