Cauliflower Is a Worthy Stand-In for Chicken in This Salad

Remember that cauliflower, broccoli, Broccolini and Romanesco are all cousins, so feel free to use a mix or focus on one. Too often we use only the pretty florets when working with these healthy brassicas, overlooking the core and stems. Viktorija Puke/Dreamstime/TNS

By Beth Dooley From The Minnesota Star Tribune

Inspired by my mom’s best chicken salad recipes (the star of many wedding and baby showers), this recipe subs out chicken for cauliflower. When sheet-pan roasted to become tender and slightly sweet, the cauliflower soaks up the salad’s ingredients—crisp apples, tart-sweet dried cranberries, and curried mayo-yogurt dressing, tangy with lime.

It’s easy to understand why this salad has been a mainstay in our family. I often make extra to have on hand for sandwiches, stuffing it into a soft roll, a pita pocket or between two thick slices of soft bread. Feel free to vary the dried fruit, subbing out the dried cranberries for chopped dried apricots or raisins and use lemon juice in lieu of lime. A handful of feta crumbles gives the salad a creamy, salty bounce.

Remember that cauliflower, broccoli, Broccolini, and Romanesco are all cousins, so feel free to use a mix or focus on one. Too often we use only the pretty florets when working with these healthy brassicas, overlooking the core and stems. Roasting puts the whole plant to work. The method tempers any bitterness and caramelizes the natural sugars. It’s hard to resist eating them straight from the pan as soon as they come out of the oven.

While you’re at it, why not put an extra pan or two in the oven? Roasted cauliflower stores nicely for a couple of days in a covered container and is ready to tangle into pasta, simmer into soup, top pizza or flatbread and curry up into this salad. Or, if you’re like me, it’s the kind of food to have at the ready when you forget to plan ahead.

Curried Cauli Salad

Serves 4

Make this ahead to give the flavors time to marry and meld in the refrigerator. It will keep up to four days in a covered container. It’s great served on lettuce or stuffed into soft rolls or pita breads.

• 1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.), cored, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more if needed
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole milk, Greek-style yogurt
• 4 to 5 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons lime juice, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons honey, or more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tart, crisp apple, cored and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out the cauliflower on the baking sheet and drizzle with the oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with a little salt. Roast until the cauliflower is cooked through and beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan about halfway through. Remove and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and yogurt, then add the curry powder, lime juice, honey, and a little pepper.

Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and toss with the dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, parsley, and cilantro. Work in enough dressing to generously coat the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight before serving.

Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com. Copyright 2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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