A Christmas cauliflower

Serves: 2
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 whole cauliflower, trimmed
  • 300ml of vegetable stock
  • 80g butter, diced
  • 1 packet chestnut mushrooms, washed and trimmed
  • Splash of Port or sweet sherry
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
  • 2 handfuls washed baby spinach
  • A handful of salted almonds
  • 20 seedless black grapes, halved
  •  

1 Pre-heat an oven to 165 degrees Celsius, or equivalent.

2 Put the lemon zest and juice into a large bowl along with the paprika, cinnamon, olive oil, salt and pepper.

3 Rub this paste all over the cauliflower making sure you get it into every nook and cranny.

4 Place the cauliflower in a casserole dish and pour the stock all around.

5 Place in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes before adding the butter, mushrooms, garlic and Port, then put back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.

6 Remove the cauliflower, then add the spinach to the tray, turn in the juices and allow to wilt a little for one or two minutes over a gentle heat.

7 Season with salt and pepper, then spoon the mixture onto the centre of a plate, place the cauliflower on top, then scatter over the almonds and grapes.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford