Cauliflower Salad with Dates & Pistachios
The accents for this tasty salad can be changed to include any nut or seed, croutons, cranberries or raisins. for this version, I've added far more dates than is called for on Smitten Kitchen, but no matter which options you choose, the easy lemon and olive oil dressing will make the ingredients sing. Use it as a side dish, or top it with yogurt to make a satisfying meal.
More: Cauliflower with Almonds, Raisins & Capers, Cauliflower Salad with Olives & Bread Crumbs and Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower (2 pounds or 905 grams)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 onion OR 1 leek OR 1 large shallot OR 1 bundle (6 ounces or 170 grams) of scallions
About 10-15 dried dates, according to your preference
1/2 cup shelled pistachios OR other nut or seeds
Juice of 1 medium lemon
Method
Heat oven to 450°F.
Quarter the cauliflower, cutting out the core. Tear the quarters into bite-sized chunks. Dice the core into smaller pieces. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and pepper.
Chop the onions. (If using scallions, lop the greens off, slice them thinly, setting them aside. Cut the remaining whole and white half of scallions 1-to-2-inch segments).
Clear a space at the end of your cauliflower baking sheet and add the chopped onions to it. Toss the onion with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Roast for 10-12 minutes until the onions are slightly browned, then remove the pan from oven (leave the oven on) and transfer the onions to a bowl.
Turn the cauliflower pieces over for even browning and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is deeply browned in many spots. Don’t fear the char — it will taste good, not burnt.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the pistachios. Pit your dates, if needed, and roughly chop. If the dates are very dry, warm them at a low power in a microwave for about 20-30 seconds, until soft. Alternately, toss the dates in the oven with the cauliflower for the last few minutes of roasting.
Make a vinaigrette with 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of one lemon, plus enough salt and pepper to season it very well. Whisk (or blend, to achieve a sharp lemon dressing. It will get milder as it coats the warm ingredients, but if it’s too sharp for your taste, blend in an additional tablespoon olive oil.
When the cauliflower is done, add it to bowl with the charred onion, along with dates, pistachios, and reserved scallion greens, if using. Toss with enough dressing to taste, seasoning further with salt and pepper, if needed.
This salad is good right away but it also keeps well at room temperature for a few hours. Leftovers can be warmed in the microwave for just 10 to 20 seconds, just to take the chill off it it.
The accents for this tasty salad can be changed to include any nut or seed, croutons, cranberries or raisins. for this version, I've added far more dates than is called for on Smitten Kitchen, but no matter which options you choose, the easy lemon and olive oil dressing will make the ingredients sing. Use it as a side dish, or top it with yogurt to make a satisfying meal.
More: Cauliflower with Almonds, Raisins & Capers, Cauliflower Salad with Olives & Bread Crumbs and Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower (2 pounds or 905 grams)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 onion OR 1 leek OR 1 large shallot OR 1 bundle (6 ounces or 170 grams) of scallions
About 10-15 dried dates, according to your preference
1/2 cup shelled pistachios OR other nut or seeds
Juice of 1 medium lemon
Method
Heat oven to 450°F.
Quarter the cauliflower, cutting out the core. Tear the quarters into bite-sized chunks. Dice the core into smaller pieces. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt and pepper.
Chop the onions. (If using scallions, lop the greens off, slice them thinly, setting them aside. Cut the remaining whole and white half of scallions 1-to-2-inch segments).
Clear a space at the end of your cauliflower baking sheet and add the chopped onions to it. Toss the onion with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Roast for 10-12 minutes until the onions are slightly browned, then remove the pan from oven (leave the oven on) and transfer the onions to a bowl.
Turn the cauliflower pieces over for even browning and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is deeply browned in many spots. Don’t fear the char — it will taste good, not burnt.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the pistachios. Pit your dates, if needed, and roughly chop. If the dates are very dry, warm them at a low power in a microwave for about 20-30 seconds, until soft. Alternately, toss the dates in the oven with the cauliflower for the last few minutes of roasting.
Make a vinaigrette with 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of one lemon, plus enough salt and pepper to season it very well. Whisk (or blend, to achieve a sharp lemon dressing. It will get milder as it coats the warm ingredients, but if it’s too sharp for your taste, blend in an additional tablespoon olive oil.
When the cauliflower is done, add it to bowl with the charred onion, along with dates, pistachios, and reserved scallion greens, if using. Toss with enough dressing to taste, seasoning further with salt and pepper, if needed.
This salad is good right away but it also keeps well at room temperature for a few hours. Leftovers can be warmed in the microwave for just 10 to 20 seconds, just to take the chill off it it.