Make Jon Atashroo's grilled cauliflower florets with turmeric cashew nut butter
Caper and raisin dressing brings balance to the richness of the nut butter and gives a sweet and salty finish to the charred cauliflower
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Serves 2
Preparation time 40 mins
Cooking time 40 mins
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- 1 x 170g jar of good-quality cashew nut butter
- 10g of fresh turmeric (or 5g dried)
- 10g of maple syrup
- 70g golden raisins
- 70g of lilliput capers
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 100g of baby spinach (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140°C. Trim all the green leaves from the cauliflower, allowing 1 small or ½ large cauli per person. Drizzle with olive oil, a generous dusting of fine salt and bake in the oven. Start with 20 minutes, checking the root with a knife to see when it's tender. The florets should yield and just hold together. Bake another 5-10 minutes if needed.
- Smash the turmeric in a pestle and mortar if available or grate finely on a microplane (you can use dried if fresh is not available). Mix into the cashew nut butter.
- To make dressing take 100g golden raisins, cover with water in a pan and bring to the boil. Then immediately turn off and drain the raisins, leave in the sieve to drain dry. Mix with the capers (adding a good dash of their vinegary brine).
- Finally, add the shallot and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix together.
- To assemble: preheat a griddle pan or better use a bbq. Break the cauliflower into natural chunky florets and, on a high heat, char the cauliflower to get some colour and a bit of smoke until it's hot inside. Meanwhile, in another pan, warm up some of the caper and raisin mix with a tablespoon of water. When hot throw in the cauliflower florets and gently turn to coat in the mix. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- To serve, dollop four mounds of the cashew butter on each serving plate. Place the cauliflower florets on next and then top with some of the caper and raisin that is left behind in the pan.
- We serve with some wilted spinach as a garnish but this is totally up to you. Fresh coriander leaves also work well.
From Jon Atashroo, head chef of the Tate Modern's Level 9 restaurant
