An ingredient godsend.
Not only is Greek yogurt hailed as a superfood, it’s a godsend of an ingredient. Using yogurt as a marinade carrier keeps things juicy and helps impart the flavour of the marinade in to the ingredient they’re surrounding, whether that’s fish, meat or vegetables, creating some really special dishes with little fuss and cost.
Here I’ve used it to carry the fiery flavours of harissa (a north african chilli and rose petal paste that’s heady and aromatic) in to the underrated and unfashionable cauliflower (another superfood on account of its vitamin rich properties).
The results are delicious if I do say so. The roasted cauliflower is soft centred and fiery, and could happily be a side to a fruity tagine or Moroccan leg of lamb, or take centerstage on the midweek dinner table, perhaps eaten with jewelled cous cous and a big leafy salad.
For four
- 4 small cauliflowers (1 small cauliflower per person) trimmed of all leaves and green and stalks having a cross cut in them
- 3 tsp rose harissa paste
- 6 tbsp full fat Greek yogurt
To serve
- Full fat greek yogurt
- A handful each of fresh coriander, mint and parsley
- Juice of one juicy lemon
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- A pinch sugar and salt
Method
- Preheat your oven to 190°C.
- Mix the harissa and yogurt in a bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Take the cauliflowers and brush the marinade all over the top of them, covering them completely – don’t be afraid to add it thickly.
- Stand the cauliflower(s) in a lightly oiled roasting tin leaving space between them), cover them being careful not to let the foil or the lid touch the top of them.
- Place in the oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
- While they’re in for their last 20 minutes, in a food processor combine the herbs, oil, lemon, garlic, salt and sugar and blend until it’s a coarse paste.
- Remove from the oven and serve with the yogurt topped with the herb paste.
This is one of six recipes I created for Superfood, The Essential Guide — available in shops now.