Using both white and Romanesco cauliflower adds visual appeal and layers of nutty flavor and crunch to this cauliflower salad – but if you’ve only got one variety, it still works beautifully. The key to this dish is slicing the cauliflower as thinly as possible, so it almost resembles couscous, giving the salad a delicate, airy feel.
A warm olive oil dressing made with toasted fennel and caraway seeds, honey, orange zest and juice, and a touch of chili gently softens the cauliflower while keeping it light and bright. Toasting the seeds is essential, in order to bring out their full aroma and add subtle complexity to every bite.
Be sure to add your peas, spring onions, and a generous mix of herbs last to keep everything vibrant and green. A make-ahead winner that looks as good as it tastes, and brings a fresh twist to any spring or Easter menu.
Ingredients
- Serves 6
- ½ small white cauliflower
- ½ Romanesco cauliflower
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 orange (zest and juice)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
- 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large handfuls of mixed fresh herbs (e.g., mint, flat-leaf parsley, dill sprigs)
The Homes & Gardens method
1. Break both cauliflowers into florets, then slice them as thinly as possible.
2. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Next, make the warm dressing. In a small frying pan over low-medium heat, toast the fennel and caraway seeds for 30 seconds.
4. Add the honey and stir for another 20–30 seconds until it sizzles and becomes aromatic.
5. Remove from the heat. Grate in the orange zest and squeeze in the juice.
6. Stir in the olive oil and chopped chili.
7. To assemble the salad, pour the warm dressing over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
8. Just before serving, fold in the peas, spring onions, and mixed fresh herbs.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, and serve in a large bowl (we love, love, love this versatile footed serving bowl from Wayfair).
Serve this salad as a fresh counterpoint to richer dishes. It’s the kind of bright, make-ahead side every Easter table needs.
