Cauliflower and beetroot salad with harissa dressing

It’s become an obsession ….salad making.  Recently, I watched with a sense of wonderment and awe an episode of Ottolenghi’s “ Mediterranean Feast”which featured Tunisian cuisine.  To my shame, I had never heard of him until I stumbled upon this TV series.  Against a bejewelled Mediterranean sea or in the bustling markets of Tunis he beguiled his guests with his keen interest in their food.  I loved his warm and engaging manner, he is what Italians would call a ‘sympatico’ spirit.  I have read a little more about him since then.  ‘Otto’ is a regular food writer for The Guardian and renowned for being inventive with his flavours, incorporating less commonly used ingredients in his dishes. He challenges cooks not to be intimidated by the use of caraway, cardamom or verjuice. To me his adventurousness encapsulates what a culinary dalliance should be! In this episode Otto concocted a most magnificent salad, his take on the Nicoise salad, with a harissa dressing.  Harissa is a piquant chilli sauce used in almost all Tunisian dishes. Like wasabi, a little goes a long way.... I subsequently was inspired to create this colourful salad which uses caraway seeds and harissa as stellar flavourings.  Serves 4 – 6.

1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets

2 large carrots, cut into 2cm lengths

4 small beetroots, quartered

1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges

100g baby spinach

1 tbs caraway seeds

¼ cup olive oil, plus extra 4 tbs for dressing

1 tbs dried oregano

2 tbs roasted pepitas

2 tsp harissa paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbs red wine vinegar

2 squeezes of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200⁰C.  Grease 2 roasting tins.  Thoroughly mix first 4 vegetables with olive oil, oregano and caraway, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Place on trays and roast for 40 – 50 mins till caramelised.

Make dressing by whisking olive oil, vinegar, lemon, garlic and harissa in a large salad bowl.  Then incorporate roasted vegetables with spinach leaves in the bowl.  Scrape any juices remaining in the trays to augment the flavours. Scatter with pepita seeds.