I created this a while back. It was a glorious recipe, a great Sunday roast, especially in the spring, with lashes of squeezed lemon and a little French’s mustard dolloped on top of the potatoes – lemon and mustard really marry well. Use a carving knife to slice a big chunk of this delight, and just enjoy the delightful flavours. Serve with a rocket, avocado and cucumber salad. A feast for the eyes, and a treat for the senses – this really looks very impressive when served at table. Bon Appétit !
INGREDIENTS
1 small cauliflower (steamed until a little soft, but not falling apart – then allow to cool)
vegan short crust pastry* (around 2 cup fulls) – and add ¼ cup finely chopped raw pistacchios and ¼ tsp each of dried sage and thyme to the pastry (if you are making your own there is a fast recipe for you below – prepare it in advance)
3 to 4 potatoes, washed and cut into pieces for roasting – boil these for 20 minutes until slightly soft
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
olive oil
lots of chopped garlic
a squeeze of lemon
freshly grounded pepper
Himalayan salt (or UK), or sea salt
around 16 cherry tomatoes, and some toothpicks
HOMEMADE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
If you wish to make your own shortcrust pastry, here is what you will need, and how to make it
Ingredients :
4 oz (115 g) dairy free margarine
8 oz (225 g) plain unbleached flour
a pinch of salt
water
Method :
Place the flour in a large working bowl, then cut your margarine into pieces in the bowl. Add the salt, and start to rub the ingredients with your fingers, blending them both together, and creating big crumbles with it. Next add a little water, a bit at a time, until a ball is formed. Wrap it up in cling film, or plastic wrap, and allow to sit in the fridge for half an hour.
METHOD
- Wrap your steamed cauliflower in the short crust pastry, having rolled the pastry open with the finely chopped pistachios and herbs, then form with hands as you see in the picture. Be sure to leave an opening across the top of around 2 inches on each side. Picking it up gently, place it in an pre-greased oven dish.
- Next, having allowed your potatoes to cool down, place them in the dish next to the cauliflower. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper, drizzle the olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and add the rosemary sprigs here and there.
- Finally, place the tomatoes on the toothpicks, and pierce them in and around the centre of the cauliflower – you may wish to use black olives instead, it’s up to you. They are there to impart their flavours and colour, so don’t worry if they scorch – they are there for show in the main.
- Then roast in a pre-heated 375ºF (175ºC) oven until golden.
- Serve up and Enjoy !!!
All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE COMMENT BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENT ON THIS RECIPE. THANK YOU.
This looks like fun. You mention Vegan Short Crust Pastry, is recipe for this available?
It will be included in 5 minutes Kristi. Hope you enjoy this ! 🙂
Ohhh might try this tomorrow yummy ..
are all these recipes in your book?
Some are some are not – there are many new interesting and exciting ones in my upcoming book Terry. Enjoy ! 🙂
Let me know how it goes Catherine. 🙂
Besides of sharing delicious recipes, you share wonderful photos. Thank you, Miriam!
This looks beyond wonderful! Always looking for different ways to fix cauiflower. Thank you so much!! I am wondering what a “rocket” is in the cucumber and avocado salad mentioned at the beginning. 🙂
Hi Rhonda, rucola is rocket, it’s a type of lettuce leaf – google for more info. I do hope you enjoy this cauliflower though, let me know how it goes as and when. 🙂
Your recipes and photographs are always inspirational, Miriam. For special occasions I make a variation of this, which I’ve adapted over the years from the original Colin Spencer recipe. Essentially the delicious addition is a thick, tangy, cheeze sauce, which is poured (well, dolloped) over the cauliflower before it is wrapped in the pastry. Absolutely delicious – but in no way low calorie!
Thanks there Norma. When I created this dish I had no idea anybody made anything like it before. Hope you enjoy it at some point and thanks for your compliments ! 🙂
Rhonda, not sure where you live, but rocket is called arugula in the USA.
Miriam, my new favorite treat is baked battered cauliflower, so I can’t wait to try this!
You’re most welcome Miriam. I belong to a group called “Scottish Vegans” (as we live in Scotland!) and I’ve forwarded a link to your blog to the group, as we are having a BBQ in a couple of weeks time, and I’m certain that folks will be wanting to make some of your recipes for it – and beyond.
WOW WOW WOW!!!!! This was ABSOLUTLEY DELICIOUS I will make this again and again, the nuts gave it the perfect flavour combined with the selected herbs. Thank you Miriam. 🙂
You are welcome dear Jennifer, I am so glad you enjoyed it ! (did you use my shortcrust pastry recipe ?) 🙂
Sounds awesome Norma. I have a couple of BBQ accompaniments I have been meaning to post up for weeks, will see if time permits this week. Meantime, there’s loads that can be prepared from my blog. Enjoy and thanks for letting me know. If you have a FB page let me know so that MWV can go in and ‘like’ it. 🙂
Hi Rebecca, Jennifer on this thread has tried it and her comment reads thus :- WOW WOW WOW!!!!! This was ABSOLUTLEY DELICIOUS I will make this again and again, the nuts gave it the perfect flavour combined with the selected herbs. Thank you Miriam. So hope you too enjoy it ! 🙂
This looks incredible! I am allergic to nuts – any suggestions for a replacement for those?
Oh!!! Forgot to ask, how long approximately until it is golden?
Oh no, I am a nuisance I fear! One more thing I forgot: in the picture of the completed Cauliflower Roast it looks like a sauce formed during the cooking (the white substance the knife is sticking in) . . . how did that happen? I didn’t read anything in the recipe that would account for that. I think I am done now! 😉
Claire, watch it in the oven – I daren’t say as ovens differ, but start checking it after 20 minutes on a hot oven (it will likely need much longer) 🙂
Yes Claire, use pumpkin and sunflower mixed instead of the pistacchios – same quantity.
Hi Thanks for another great recipe, you mention HImalayan salt which I have seen in my local shop, what is the difference to normal salt.
Also any ideas where I might find black salt?. I have hunted high and low for it here in the UK to no avail!
Hi Anthony,
You can purchase black salt from here :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004L4YCB4?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=B004L4YCB4&linkCode=xm2&tag=mouthwvegan-21
Regarding the Himalayan salt, here’s an excerpt below from this link that may be useful for you :
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/18299/pink-salt-vs-regular-salt
Himalayan pink salt isn’t your average table salt. Hand-harvested and minimally processed, it contains 84 minerals and trace elements that are highly beneficial for the body including magnesium, calcium, copper, potassium and iron, according to the website The Greater Green. “Regular consumption of Himalayan pink salt provides essential minerals, trace elements, balances electrolytes, supports proper nutrient absorption, eliminates toxins, balances the body’s pH, normalizes blood pressure, and increases circulation and conductivity.
Regular table salt is “actually full of many forms of chemicals and even sugar”, according to natural health website Global Healing Center. This type of salt is difficult to digest and can lead to inflammation of the tissues, high blood pressure and bloating. Himalayan pink salt is easier for the body to process, requiring far less cellular water in order to neutralize the sodium chloride content in chemically-treated salt.
I was also wondering about the sauce like Claire was asking, although I assume it was an addition and not formed during cooking as she says. Looks great, thanks for adding the pastry recipe too.
No worries Brooke, almost any savoury sauce/gravy will go well with this – even if you cook some mushrooms with garlic and then process them add salt and vegan cream or a little creamy dairy-free milk, that could be nice. 🙂
Thanks for the info Miriam!! xx
You are welcome there Anthony ! 🙂
I learned a lot about roasted veggies and short crusted pastry. My husband and I are not too crazy about cauliflower. I also learned about spices, garlic, rosemary and pistachios! salt and ground pepper! I also figured out how to make mock chicken pot pie! Thank you, Miriam!
PS Need a gravy though for the pot pie.
The pastry crust was wonderful, thank you!!
That really is great to know dear Julie, thanks !
Thanks for that Julie. We use a regular powdered gravy which is vegan Bisto, I am not sure whether you have that in the States. I fry onions until they are slightly scortched, then you can add some soya sauce or vegan worchester sauce or a little of both, then some cornstarch and a bayleaf and water, heat until thickened and pour – if you love mushrooms pre-fry a few having sliced them, add garlic, and then add these to the gravy for a richer and more interesting flavour – garnish with fresh parsley/rosemeary ! 🙂