Page 17 - Allotment Gardener Issue 1 2024

RAS EL HANOUT ROASTED
CAULIFLOWER WEDGES
1 large cauliflower, sliced into quarters through the core
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vegan butter, melted (I use Natruli), or more olive oil 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp ras el hanout spice blend
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 200C/180 Fan. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper. Place cauliflower wedges on the prepared baking sheet.
2. Whisk olive oil, melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, ras el hanout, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 of the olive oil mixture over the tops of the cauliflower steaks.
3. Roast cauliflower steaks in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Gently turn over each steak and brush with remaining olive oil mixture. Continue roasting until tender and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.
CARROT, COCONUT AND
GINGER SALAD
4-6 carrots
50g coconut
50g cashews
Small handful coriander, chopped
DRESSING
Thumb size piece of ginger
3 tbsp sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable oil 2 tsp agave syrup or honey
1 tbsp cider vinegar juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Toast coconut and cashew separately in the oven or on the stove top, using separate pans as they will take different amounts of times. Toast over a low heat and keep the pan moving when you begin to see colour if you are toasting on the stove top. If you are using the oven, preheat to a low temperature, about 150C and check after five minutes; stir and return to oven checking every couple of minutes for burning. Let cool while preparing the rest of the salad.
2. To make dressing, using the small side of the grater, grate ginger into a bowl. Collect with your hands and squeeze out all of the ginger juice back into the bowl. A few bits of ginger are fine, but try to get mostly juice. Add remaining ingredients and combine with hand blender or whisk.
3. Grate carrots and place in a bowl with coconut, cashews and coriander. Toss well with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.
CORIANDER AND
MINT CHUTNEY
100g fresh coriander 50g fresh mint
2 hot green chillies 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tbsp lime juice Pinch of salt
50ml water
Coconut sugar to taste
Serves 4
1. Remove the stalks from the
coriander and the mint. Remove the seeds from the chillies and roughly chop.
2. Place all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth thick sauce. Add more water, if necessary, but don’t make it too liquidy.
3. Taste for seasoning; you may need a little more lime juice, salt or coconut sugar to balance the chilli.
Erin Baker is a chef, cookery teacher and
food writer based in Stroud. She offers evening,
3 and 5-day courses, private classes and catering.
She also has a book called
‘The Veg Table’ full of delicious, flavoursome seasonal recipes - available to purchase via her website www.naturalcookeryschool.com.
Photographs ©Michael Ruggier
Allotment Gardener | Issue 1 2024 | 17