This works perfectly as a standalone dish (with a side of toasted sourdough) or as a great side to any meal. The combination of fresh and minty peas with the earthy cauliflower and sweet and salty walnuts is incredibly morish. With spring just round the corner I think now is the time to brighten up our dishes, pack in the greens and keep it vegetarian.
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 25 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Drizzle of rapeseed oil
1 Small cauliflower –Broken up into small florets
Sprinkle of Sea salt flakes
150g Peas
150g Broad beans
½ Clove Garlic
Small bunch of mint – Leaves removed from stalk
Good glug of rapeseed oil
Generous sprinkle of sea salt flakes
Juice of half a lemon
Half a pomegranate
Two large handfuls of walnuts
50g Granulated sugar
1Tbsp butter
Sprinkle of sea salt flakes
Method:
Begin by preheating your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place your cauliflower florets on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil plus seasoning, roast for 20 or so minutes or until they begin to darken.
For the pea, broad bean and mint mash, combine the peas, broad beans (defrost first if using frozen) garlic and oil in a blender and blitz until you have a rough mash. Next add in the mint and seasoning and blitz again for a couple of seconds so your mash remains quite rough in texture. Remove from the blender and serve the mash onto your serving platter, squeeze over the fresh lemon juice and add another little glug of oil and sprinkle of seasoning. Sprinkle over your pomegranate pearls and set to one side or keep refrigerated until you add the cauliflower and candied walnuts.
To make your candied walnuts simply add your sugar and butter to a small saucepan along with your walnuts and heat over a medium to high heat, stirring frequently so the walnuts are evenly coated with sugar. Cook for around 3-5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and has turned to a mid brown/caramel colour. Be sure to keep stirring the whole time towards the end to avoid the sugar from burning. Next transfer quickly onto parchment paper separating out the walnuts so they don’t stick, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and allow to cool.
Once both the caulilower and walnuts are ready, simply add the warm cauliflower on top of the pea and bean mint mash, sprinkle over the candied walnuts along with some extra springs of fresh mint and serve.
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