Last week, our friends Steve and Nadia brought over some cauliflower from the farm where Nadia is interning. Steve doesn’t care for cauliflower so they gave us two medium heads. I immediately recalled a recipe for Cauliflower Waldorf Salad I’d picked up from the Meat Lite series on Serious Eats some months ago and how much Andrew enjoyed it. I thought I’d give it a try with just cauliflower and omitting and substituting some of the ingredients in the original recipe. I did and it was just as delicious! Instead of raisins (which I originally omitted anyway as I’m not a fan), I used dried cherries. And instead of toasted walnuts, I substituted toasted slivered almonds. I left out the chicken completely and instead used twice as much cauliflower. Finally, I left out the celery and the apples and slightly altered the recipe for the dressing. The result was a cool and creamy salad with a great balance of tangy and nutty flavors. The almonds improved the texture by adding crunch, and the dried cherries were a perfect sweet foil to the mellower taste of the roasted cauliflower.
Here’s my adaptation to the recipe:
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Toasted Almonds and Dried Cherries
2 medium heads of cauliflower, chopped into 1-inch florets
1 T vegetable oil
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/4 cup dried cherries
For the dressing:
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
10 grinds black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp dried dill
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower pieces with the oil and the salt. Spread them out on a baking sheet. I used a Silpat underneath to prevent any sticking. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pieces are tender but firm, and golden brown.
While the cauliflower roasts, make the dressing by whisking together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
When the cauliflower is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Add to the bowl with the dressing the almonds, cherries and cauliflower. Stir gently to combine. Season if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to come together.
Serve the salad on toasted bread, mixed greens or on its own. I love this as a substitute for a chicken salad sandwich.
i think i am going to try this recipe out this weekend, before our trip to see you! i’ll let you know how it turns out :)