The fried kasha topping gives an appetising crunch and toasted flavour to this dish. For a vegetarian dinner party, try my Indian spiced tomato and coconut soup as a starter, and finish with biancomangiare and apple and rhubarb compote for dessert.
Salad
| 1 | Red onion, thinly sliced |
| 2 medium | Carrots, cut into 0.5cm thick sticks |
| 1 | Red capsicum, cored, deseeded, thinly sliced |
| 1 | Fennel bulb, stalks removed, bulb halved, core cut out, bulb thinly sliced |
| 3 | Pink radishes, thinly sliced |
| 4 Tbsp | White wine vinegar |
| 1 tsp | Salt |
| 1 tsp | Sugar |
| 150 g | Green beans, stalk ends cut off, cut in half diagonally, dropped into a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds, cooled under cold water and drained well |
| 4 Tbsp | Extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 heart | Baby cos lettuce, thinly sliced |
Kasha and
cauliflower
| 1 medium | Cauliflower, leaves removed, bottom thick stalk cut out in a "v" shape but not deep enough for the cauliflower to fall apart (Main) |
| 6 Tbsp | Extra virgin olive oil |
| 2 | Red onions, finely chopped |
| 4 cloves | Garlic, finely chopped |
| ½ | Preserved lemons, peel only, finely diced |
| ½ tsp | Fennel seeds |
| 1 pinch | Saffron threads, a generous one, soaked in 0.25 cup hot water for 10 minutes |
| 150 ml | Dry white wine |
| 300 ml | Vegetable stock |
| 1 | Lemon, juiced |
| 200 g | Creamy feta, crumbled (Main) |
| 1 ¼ cups | Kasha, roasted buckwheat (Main) |
Directions
To make the salad
- Put the onion, carrots, capsicum, fennel, radishes, vinegar, salt and sugar into a non-reactive bowl and reserve for 20 minutes. Just before needed, add the beans, oil and cos leaves and mix well.
To make kasha and cauliflower
- Heat the oven to 190C.
- Drop the cauliflower into a large saucepan of well salted water and simmer 15 minutes or until it is tender when a skewer is inserted into the middle. Drain well.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and add the onions, garlic, lemon peel and fennel seeds. Fry gently, without browning for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
- Add the saffron mixture and the wine and turn the heat up and let it bubble for 30 seconds.
- Add the stock and lemon juice and bring to the boil.
- Pour into an ovenproof casserole and place the cauliflower in the middle. Spoon the onion and stock mix over the cauliflower until well basted.
- With the cauliflower stalk end down, cover and place in the oven for 40 minutes, uncovering and basting frequently then recovering.
- Meanwhile, cook the kasha which is like cooking rice. Place 1 cup of the kasha into a saucepan and add enough water to come 1½ cm above the level of the kasha. Bring to a rolling boil then move to your smallest stove element, cover and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Cook without uncovering for any reason for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and without uncovering, allow to stand for 5 minutes.
- Uncover and gently fluff up the kasha with a fork. Cover and reserve.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add the remaining¼cup of kasha and stir-fry until golden brown. Cool on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Reserve.
- Serve the cauliflower cut into relaxed wedges, with onions and liquid on the kasha with feta and fried kasha sprinkled on top
