Roasted Cauliflower & Hazelnut Salad

Roasted Cauliflower & Hazelnut Salad

This salad was also part of the Jerusalem dinner. It is really easy to make, and was my favorite part of the dinner. The hazelnuts really add flavor and it compliments the cauliflower really well. A good vegan dish for anyone that isn't eating meat or dairy, also. 

Here is the explanation of this salad from the cookbook: 

"Cauliflower, raw or lightly cooked, is a useful salad ingredient, above all in winter when there isn't a great variety of freshly vegetables available. It soaks up flavors particularly effectively and benefits from anything sweet and sharp."

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 large celery stalk, cut on an angle into 1/4 inch slices

5 tablespoons hazelnuts, with skins

1/3 cup small flat-leafed parsley leaves, picked

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds from about 1/2 medium pomegranate (there are none in season right now, so we used a pomegranate sauce instead to add some sweetness)

Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix the cauliflower with 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Spread out in a roasting pan and roast on the top oven rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool down.

3. Decrease the oven temperatureto 325. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 17 minutes.

4. Allow the nuts to cool a little, then coarsely chop them and add to the cauliflower, along with the remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients. Stir, taste, and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Serve at room temperature.