Versatile cauliflower spiced up to become the star

Roasted or fried, smothered in cheese or spiced up with harissa, cauliflower is the ingredient of the year. For decades, cauliflower lived in the shadow of its bright green cruciferous cousin, broccoli. Because of its pale color, it was incorrectly associated with a lack of nutrients. Well, that couldn't be further from the truth. These beautiful flower heads are a vitamin-rich, low-calorie vegetable that can behave like a carb replacing rice or potatoes in many recipes.  

Below is one of my favourite ways of serving this versatile vegetable - it's substantial enough to be used as a potato substitute and works well served cold at a picnic.

Cauliflower and chickpea salad

100g tinned chickpeas, rinsed and dried; 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp cumin, 1 small cauliflower cut into large florets, 1 tbsp tahini or substitute with a few drops of sesame oil, 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt, squeeze lemon juice,  1/4 cup pine nuts or pepitas, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup, coriander leaves, 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley 

Preheat oven to 300C; place chickpeas in a roasting pan with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil and roast for 235 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.  Remove and season with cumin.  

At the same time place the cauliflower, tossed in 2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp salt into another roasting pan and cook until slightly charred and tender but not soggy.  Set aside on a serving platter. Add the chickpeas and drizzle with a dressing of  yoghurt, lemon juice,  1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp water and remaining salt. Garnish with toasted nuts, cranberries, coriander leaves and parsley.