If my posts start to seem like they’re swinging wildly between SUGAR and SALAD, that’s because they are, and it’s a direct reflection of how I am living my life right now.
It’s just that time of year when you’re compelled to indulge and your hands insist on making more and more batches of Christmas cookies even though it’s only November and you’re the only one eating them. I’ve decided that it’s a lost cause trying to cull this compulsive holiday behavior, so instead I’m just trying to counter all the sugar-topped cookies with piles and piles of winter salads. I think it’s working?
Besides the never-ending churn of cookies coming forth from my oven, there’s a lot of other indulgences happening, present and future. There’s the pan-roasted gnocchi at Upland that brought tears to my eyes last weekend, tomorrow’s adventure at Mulino a Vino, reservations at Nopi and St. John in London (someone pinch me!), not to mention the roasted Cornish game hens and spread of pies at Thanksgiving. If I want to avoid resorting to elastic pants, I’m turning to salad.
We always think of summer as the season of salads, because the produce is abundant and it all tastes so good raw, but winter also brings a strong salad game that I think we need to pay more attention to. This is one of my favorites because it’s not dainty. It’s filled with lentils and roasted cauliflower and it doesn’t feel like you’re nibbling on lettuce leaves, it feels like you are eating a substantial meal that is full of different flavors and textures. Besides the cauliflower and lentils, it also features thin red onions, arugula (or spinach, if you prefer), deeply toasted chopped almonds and sweet, sticky dates. Tossed in a garlicky dressing with tahini, and you’ve got yourself a salad that you’ll be almost as excited to eat as all those cookies.
That’s probably a stretch, but it’s a lie you might almost believe.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup beluga or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch florets
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of cayenne
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 10 dates, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 4 cups loosely packed spinach or arugula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the almonds in a pie plate and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Increase the oven temperature to 425°.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the lentils with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, 20 minutes. Drain well and let cool.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the 1/4 cup of olive oil and the cumin, cinnamon, ginger and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, turning, until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.
- In a large bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, honey, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add the lentils and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Scrape the roasted cauliflower into the bowl and add the toasted almonds, dates, onion and spinach. Toss the salad, transfer to a platter and serve.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2017/11/20/roasted-cauliflower-salad-with-lentils-and-dates/
