Harissa Cauliflower Pilaf

First thing to admit here is that this recipe is straight out of Good Food Magazine so I’m not calling it my own and the only thing I changed is I removed Dill because, well Dill is awful stuff but each to their own eh

Now whilst I’m not averse to meat free meals, I haven’t really posted many veggie dishes and although I do try to eat less meat it’s usually some form of curry that bubbles away on the stove

These days though you can’t move for vegan and veggie evangelists urging people to go more plant based. To be fair they have a point, too much meat is not good for you or the planet. I suppose one the best things to come out of this new movement is the range of plant based dishes is ever expanding, which can only be a good thing , right?

Roasting the Cauliflower first gives a nice crunchy texture and adds a nuttiness to the dish that works well with the sweeter elements and its tied together with that spicy harissa kick

300g Basmati Rice

1 Red onion finely sliced

2 Lemons, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges

2 tsp sugar

4 tbsp Harissa

1 Garlic clove crushed

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Large or 2 Medium Cauliflower, broken into large florets and stalk chopped, Large leaves roughly chopped

Pinch of Saffron

2 Bay leaves

700 ml Vegetable stock

100g Sultanas

100g Flaked Almonds, toasted until golden brown

400g Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

50g Pomegranate seeds

Wash the rice really well then leave to soak for at least an hour

Put the onion, sugar with a pinch of salt and toss in the lemon juice, leave to pickle

Heat the oven to 200C. Whisk 2 tbsp of the harissa the garlic and the oil in a large bowl then add the cauliflower and toss till its all coated. Season then tip into a roasting tin, roast for 20 mins until golden brown

Meanwhile mix the saffron, bay leaves, stock and the rest of the harissa, keep on a low heat whilst the cauli roasts

Remove the cauli from the oven, tip into a dish and squeeze over the juice of one lemon wedge. Drain the rice and tip into the roasting tin, pour over the stock and mix well, stir in the sultanas, half the almonds, the chickpeas and half the cauliflower. Cover the tin with a double layer of foil, sealing well then bake for 30 mins until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed.

Fluff up the rice with a fork, then fold in the remaining cauliflower. Scatter over the remaining almonds and the pomegranate seeds. The sprinkle on the pickled onions and squeeze the remaining Lemon Wedges