Name: Dukkah-crusted cauliflower with tahini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1 tsp coriander seeds; ½ tsp (1/3 cup) cumin seeds; 45 gm slivered pistachios; 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted; 3 tsp sumac; 2 large cauliflowers (1.2 kg each); 400 gm canned chickpeas, drained; 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ tsp chilli flakes; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds; Grain salad; 125 gm each freekeh and pearl barley; 4 pitted medjool dates, coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon; 2 cups mixed soft herbs (such as parsley, mint and dill); Tahini sauce; 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 70 gm hulled tahini; Finely grated zest of 1½ lemons; 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

Dukkah-crusted cauliflower with tahini

Cutting cauliflower into thick, steak-like pieces and roasting it at a high temperature allows it to steam and brown at the same time, achieving a lovely creamy inside, and a crisp golden outside.

A large, steak-like piece of cauliwflower, crusted with dukkah and served on a large white plate with a side of tahini, pickled onion and green herb salad. — Photo: Con Poulos

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

15M

Cook

45M

Total

We can all agree that cauliflower had its 15 minutes of fame when cauli-karaage burst onto the scene. But since then, cauli-inventions have been, well… a little dismal. We’re here to shake things up a little with this hearty dukkah-crusted cauliflower steak to reignite your cauli-craze.

Ingredients

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp (1/3 cup) cumin seeds

45 gm slivered pistachios

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

3 tsp sumac

2 large cauliflowers (1.2 kg each)

400 gm canned chickpeas, drained

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

½ tsp chilli flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds

Grain salad

125 gm each freekeh and pearl barley

4 pitted medjool dates, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 cups mixed soft herbs (such as parsley, mint and dill)

Tahini sauce

90 ml extra-virgin olive oil

70 gm hulled tahini

Finely grated zest of 1½ lemons

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

Method

1.For grain salad, cook freekeh and barley together in a saucepan of boiling water until tender (20 minutes); drain and cool. Combine dates and vinegar in a large bowl; set aside to lightly pickle (5 minutes). Just before serving, add grains and remaining ingredients; season to taste and toss to combine.

2.Preheat oven to 220˚C fan-forced. For dukkah, dry-roast coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant (1 minute). Place spices, pistachios, sesame seeds and 2 tsp sumac in a small food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.

3.Cut each cauliflower through the stalk into two 3cm-thick steaks and reserve remaining cauliflower for another use. Place cauliflower slices and chickpeas on a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Combine oil, garlic and chilli flakes in a small bowl and season to taste; brush over cauliflower then scatter with the dukkah pressing down to adhere. Roast cauliflower until golden and tender (25-30 minutes).

4.Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and remaining 1 tsp sumac in a small bowl; add onion and toss to coat; season to taste. Set aside until required.

5.For tahini sauce, place ingredients and 11/2 tbsp water in a small bowl; season to taste and whisk to combine.

6.Divide grain salad and cauliflower slices among plates; top with pickled onion and crisp chickpeas. Drizzle with tahini sauce to serve.

Tahini sauce and grain salad can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead.
Notes

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Styling by Olivia Blackmore