This splendid salad was first created when I had bought a ton of cauliflower to test my gluten free pizza crust and was left with one kilo of the raw veg in my fridge. As it sat between a hunk of pecorino cheese and these left over boiled potatoes, I had an aha moment. And what a great one it was – I paired it with a silky mustard olive oil dressing, tossed some raw sliced mushrooms and toasted pine nuts. It’s been one of my favorite salad starters since. Because it has potatotes and cheese you don’t feel like you’re just eating a new age raw cauliflower salad you know? It’s quite festive, keeps well if prepared in advance and very tasty so perfect for your upcoming Christmas dinner parties.
NOTE: Really do make sure that your cauliflower is either shaved with a mandolin or sliced very thin (a millimeter or two) in order to get the perfect texture for this salad. Some of it will crumble while you slice and that’s ok, but don’t make thick slices.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cauliflower, sliced thin
- 4 big potatoes, cooked, cooled and cubed
- 1/2 cup of pecorino cheese or a nice sheep’s milk cheese, in shavings or cubes
- 6 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp capers (optional)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2-3 heaping tbsp Dijon mustard (not a hot one, I like the Maille brand)
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Mix cauliflower, potatoes, pecorino and mushrooms together in large bowl. You can also add the capers at this point.
- In a small bowl make the dressing by gradually whisking the mustard and vinegar into the olive oil until it becomes a creamy consistency.
- Pour dressing into the salad and toss well. Let salad rest a few hours and up to 12.
- At the last minute, toss in the pine nuts
