Light Bites

Cauliflower and kale salad recipe

4 as a side
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This cauliflower and kale salad recipe is the perfect addition to a late summer barbecue. The light, fresh and creamy flavours are the perfect way to bring great food to the beauty of the outdoors. This salad travels well in sealed Tupperware. Be sure to add your dressing and croutons at the last minute as this will keep them fresh and crunchy.

Kale is one of the salad kingdom’s most nutrient dense foods, packed with powerful vitamins and minerals. It’s a cruciferous vegetable, meaning it belongs to the same family as broccoli. It’s also related to cauliflower, its partner in this refreshing salad. Kale is packed with antioxidants like quercetin. It also contains polyphenols and flavonoids. These have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

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Ingredients

  • One medium-large cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
  • 125g kale
  • Glug of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 little gem heads
  • Tbsp black mustard seeds
  • Handful of radishes
  • Sea salt and black pepper

For the dressing

  • 4 anchovies or strong black olives
  • 50g parmesan
  • Half a lemon, juice and zest
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 100g mayonnaise

To serve

  • 2 slices of stale bread for croutons
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Then cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain and put in a bowl of cold water.
  2. Remove any thick stems from the kale. Toss in one tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt with your hands, giving it a good squeeze as you go to help tenderise the leaves. Roast in an oven for about ten minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
  3. Cut the bread into lcm cubes, drizzle with olive oil and bake until crisp. This should take about ten minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
  4. Make the dressing by crushing the anchovies or olives in a pestle and mortar, then blend in a small blender with a tablespoon or two of water and the remaining ingredients until you have a creamy dressing. Season to taste.
  5. Rip or chop the little gem. Gently toss the cauliflower with the dressing and serve on top of the lettuce, finishing with a sprinkle of mustard seeds, the radish, kale and croutons.
  6. Give a final drizzle of olive oil and a twist of pepper, then serve.