Spicy roast cauliflower and the Christmas tree standoff
It’s exhausting being me; in the aftermath of Bonegate, I have to mediate another potentially explosive situation. Every year the delicate decision of when to put our Christmas tree up presents itself. On the one hand I have Léo, a ten-year-old boy, extremely talented in the practice of strategically ‘fighting his corner’, and on the other I have Hugo, a four-year-old dog, exceedingly accomplished in the induction of overwhelming guilt. The space the tree occupies is usually dedicated to Hugo’s ‘throne’ and apparently a tastefully decorated tree is not compensation enough for the upheaval and attendant inconvenience of temporary relocation.
So every night until the tree goes up, I have to listen to the interminable list of my son’s friends that already have their tree in place. And once the tree is finally up, I have to deal with a distressed labrador, his head bowed in seriously under- medicated silent reproach, sitting in a chair in an undesirable location.
Neither Léo nor Hugo are big fans of this cauliflower dish. More fool them – it’s delicious!
Ingredients (serves four to six):
1 cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180C. Cut the cauliflower into ‘florets’ and blanche in salted boiling water for five minutes and then drain. Mix the seasoning with the chickpea flour. Toss the drained cauliflower florets in olive oil and then the chickpea flour mixture. Add to a roasting tin with the remaining olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.
7 Comments
apuginthekitchen
Your cauliflower looks wonderful and have to laugh about the tree predicament. Look at that pup sitting so quietly on his chair, he looks picture perfect. I don’t put a tree up anymore, besides the fact that it’s too hard to assemble and dismantle the tree (needles everywhere) Nando is blind and I have to keep everything exactly the same otherwise he will be very upset because I have put an obstacle in his way. Happy holidays to you and your family!
The Healthy Epicurean
What we do for our dogs 🙂 Happy holidays to you and the pugs!
Gabrielle
I was about to call you to get this receipe when I had the idea to check your blog and there it is! We are trying it this very moment with a beautiful pumpkin from the garden! I have to say I’m a bit on Léo’s side on this one, it’s not very “christmas-y” of Hugo’s to delay the christmas tree fun ! (or you could put the tree in the right corner of the tv room and see if the french man will be as moody as the dog if moved away from his spot!) 😉
The Healthy Epicurean
LOL re putting the tree in the Frenchman’s football-viewing spot 🙂 He would be the moodiest of the lot! Did you manage to get some chickpea flour? Hope your pumpkin turns out well. Bisoux xx
The Healthy Epicurean
Thank you to Gabrielle and Xavier who sent me this photo of their Roast spicy parsnips, potato and pumpkin. Looks delicious:
http://ffsallthegoodonesaretakendotwordpressdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/gratinc3a9.jpg
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