Salad Season Cometh

Not too long ago, if you had said "Tahini" to me, I would probably have answered "Bless you!". And yet now, thanks to Yotam Ottolenghi, among other genius cookbook writers, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food has become a staple feature of the cookbook aisles. And if you want to put one of those cookbooks to good use, then you're going to need some tahini. Allow a linguist a moment's digression: the word tahini is derived from an Arabic root meaning 'to grind'; unsurprising, since the sole ingredient in pure tahini paste is ground hulled sesame seeds.

Tahini is pretty widely available these days, and has the look and texture of a nut-butter. And, just like with a nut butter, you should set aside a little time (and be prepared to make a little mess) stirring it together each time before you use it, as the oil tends to settle on top, and needs to be reincorporated before you measure out the tahini you need for a recipe.

Spring is a tough time of year for me. My favorite foods, if the truth be told, are comfort foods drenched in sauces, soups, stews and the like, so winter is my sweet spot. I do love a good salad, but I need a gentle transition to the summer and its different eating style. I need to be coaxed back into the warm season. This recipe therefore caught my eye, because although it is called a salad, it can be served warm, and isn't your classic leaf-based salad, but more of a veggie side. I served it with a kale salad (there's a recipe for a rather delicious one here), and it made a delicious satisfying plant-based meal. I may not be ready to dish my bowls of chilli or saucy pastas just yet, but I'm at least heading in a summery direction!

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Adapted from budgetbytes.com
Serves 5 (more if served as a side)

2 heads cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 red onion, quartered and then sliced into 1/4" thick slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
2/3 cup tahini
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F (220C).
2. Toss the cauliflower and onion together on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a few TBSP of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, by which time the cauliflower should be tinged with brown at the edges. Allow to cool slightly.
3. While the veggies are roasting, make the tahini dressing by whisking together the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and cayenne. Taste, and add a touch more cayenne if you like things more spicy :-)
4. Heat a TBSP of olive oil in a small skillet and add the chickpeas, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. Toss over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until the chick peas start to color and go a little crispy. You'll need to stir them pretty much continually so that they don't stick and burn. Set aside.
5. Toss the still warm cauliflower and onion with most of the chopped parsley and the chick peas in a large bowl, and stir in most of the dressing (you probably don't need it all, so don't add it all straight away). Sprinkle with the remaining parsley to serve.