Roasted cauliflower, hazelnut, and pomegranate salad, January 2013
So, I walk into my little town’s grocery store and the produce manager sees me and points out a big bin of pomegranates. He knows I write the recipe column for my town’s newspaper, and he’s hoping I’ll put in a pomegranate recipe so people will buy them up. Because I love pomegranates, I’m only too happy to comply.
I decided on this salad that was patterned after a dish in a New York Times “Thanksgiving From Jerusalem” article. It has roasted cauliflower, hazelnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Roasting the cauliflower in my opinion improves it, making its flavors deeper and sweeter. Have some of it right from the oven for a savory treat! Pomegranate and parsley add bright red and green. This salad was delicious with our grilled chicken.
Sweet, jewel-like pomegranate seeds are wonderful sprinkled on any green salad, added to a fruit salad, mixed into yogurt, or just eaten with a spoon. Pomegranate is also healthful—because of its high nutrition it’s considered by many to be a superfood.
Removing pomegranate seeds from the peel and pith can be messy. Martha Stewart suggests whacking quarters with a wooden spoon over a bowl until the seeds fall out. If you try this, wear an apron and be prepared to wipe up splatters. Alternatively, use the underwater method: First, cut the top off the fruit and peel it away. Then score the fruit just through the peel. Place the fruit, cut side down, in a bowl of water. Let it soak about 5 minutes. Pull sections apart along the score lines, and holding them under water gently pull seeds away from peels and membrane. Skim away bits of membrane that float to the top, and drain off the water.
If you leave your pomegranate in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks like I did and find some of the seeds to be soft or brownish, discard these. Any firm red ones are still fine to use.
| Roasted Cauliflower, Hazelnut, and Pomegranate Salad | | Print |
- 1 head cauliflower, broken/cut into small florets (6 to 8 cups)
- Olive oil, 3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup hazelnuts (skin-on are OK)
- 2 celery stalks, sliced into1/4-inch diagonal pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 medium pomegranate)
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat using spatula or clean hands. Roast 25 to 35 minutes or until portions of the florets are browned. Set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a minute or two, then carefully slice into halves or quarters, discarding the pieces of skin that fall off easily.
- Add chopped nuts, celery, and parsley to cauliflower in bowl and toss to combine. In a separate small bowl whisk together vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and cinnamon. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. Add pomegranate seeds, toss once more to distribute evenly, and serve.
Shared at:
- Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday (Featured!)
- The Gluten-Free Homemaker Gluten-Free Wednesdays
- Wheat-Free Fare Wheat-Free Wednesday Blog Hop Party
- Poor and Gluten-Free’s Waste Not Want Not Wednesday
I love this!
Not only does the recipe sound good, but the article is interesting as well.
I’ve always wondered about the best way to reap the seeds from a pomegranate – I’ll definitely have to try the underwater option. : )
Thanks for stopping by, Miachel, and for your kind words!