Paprika Roasted Cauliflower with Charred Red pepper & Pickled Wild Garlic Capers Salsa.
A while ago we went on a wild garlic forage.
We, myself and the lovely Mr G, spent what I thought would be a pleasant hour picking a few capers in the dappled sunshine of the small wood in our village.
It ended up being 3 hours of bend over, back hurting picking and 3 hours of sitting on the sofa picking all of the tiny berries off the stalks.
A task the lovely Mr G abdicated from about half way through.
Yes, he abandoned me to the task of nipping these tiny three beaded berries off the hundreds of stalks and went to bed.
Ok, he did have to get up very early the next day, I didn’t start this task until 11pm and I was working my way through the Hunger Games trilogy, again, but come on!
Was it worth all the work?
You bet your garlic caper it was!
If you don’t have a small wood nearby, or any wild garlic capers on the shelf in your pantry, don’t you worry, this recipe is easily adaptable, just check the tip box at the end of the recipe.
Trust me on this, once you’ve tried this recipe and eaten it with the paprika roasted cauliflower, you will want the salsa in everything you eat.
On a slightly pink tuna steak, a chicken thigh or two. (always thighs for me) even on a jacket potato.
Go wild, in fact go wild garlic. Groan
When the salsa ingredients are put together, your taste buds will have an explosion of fresh, pickled and charred flavours that’s sort of addictive, and you’ll be sharing this recipe at every BBQ, Foodie Book Club get together and family party you’re ever invited to.
I’ve just looked back on the recipes I’ve posted over the last few weeks, and even though I’m posting recipes using the wild garlic capers, just realised I’ve not posted the recipe for those on here! EEEk.
Note to self, rectify this ASAP.
Enjoy Your Sweet Life
Full of flavours and you can use it with everything
What You Need
Cauliflower – leaves removed, sliced into thick steaks – See Tip Box
Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Paprika
Salsa
1 Red pepper – Charred, skin removed & very finely chopped – See Tip Box
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp White wine vinegar
50gm Black Olives – de-seeded & very finely chopped
2 tbs Pickled Wild Garlic Capers – roughly chopped – See Tip Box
5 gm Fresh Parsley – finely chopped
Zest of 1 Lime
Maldon Salt - To Taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper – To Taste
Cauliflower brushed with the paprika & oil mix. Ready for the oven
How It’s Done
Cauliflower
Heat the oven to 180C – See Tip Box
Take the leaves off the cauliflower and set aside to use later – See Tip Box
Cut the cauliflower into thick steaks
Spread the steaks out flat onto an oven proof tray
Mix together the paprika and the oil and brush over both sides of the cauliflower steaks.
Place the tray into the hot oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is cooked - See Tip Box
Getting that char on the red pepper
Salsa
Push the red pepper onto a fork and put it into a flame of your gas hob. Turn it slowly until all of the skin is black and blistered – See Tip Box
Place the charred pepper into a bowl and seal it with cling film. Let it rest for 10 minutes, so the steam helps the skin to loosen.
Scrape off the skin, discard the seeds and the stalk and chop the flesh very finely.
Place all of the chopped ingredients and the lime zest into a bowl and give them a gentle mix.
Place the oil and the vinegar into a cup and mix together. Pour over the chopped ingredients and mix.
To serve, spoon the salsa over the roasted paprika cauliflower and serve hot or cold
Fresh & salty
Tip Box
Oven – All ovens are different so adjust cooking time accordingly.
Cauliflower– a) Don’t get rid of the cauliflower leaves and stalk. Use them on curries, stir fries, soups. They are very tasty and part of the cauliflower.
b) Don’t over cook the cauliflower, keep a little bit of bite to it.
Pickled Wind Garlic Capers – If you don’t have a jar of these garlic capers lying around, substitute with 2 very finely chopped gherkins, and 3 cloves of roasted garlic.
Salt & Pepper – Before you add the salt, give it a taste and then salt to your own taste.
Pepper – If you don’t have a gas hob to char your pepper, no problem. Slice the pepper in half, get rid of the stalk and seeds and place it on an oven proof tray, into a very hot oven until its soft. Take it out and let it cool a little, before taking off the skin and using it in the recipe.
Spoon the salsa over anything, meat or veggie
