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Salsa Verde with Roasted Cauliflower

Make a robust Italian 'green sauce' & combine it with roasted cauliflower for a bold flavoured, light meal. Leave out the anchovies for a completely plant-based dish (see Recipe Notes).

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Salad, sauce, Condiment, Light Meal
Cuisine Italian
Keyword green sauce
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 2
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

Salsa Verde

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 large pickled gherkins
  • 1 heaped tbsp capers drained, or rinsed if salted
  • 30 g anchovy fillets drained of oil (weight after draining, reserve the oil)
  • 1 large handful parsley tough stems removed
  • 1 small handful mint leaves only
  • 1 small handful basil leaves only
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp French or Dijon mustard
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt to taste optional

For the Roasted Cauliflower

  • Half a large cauliflower stems removed, florets cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium onions (optional) skinned & cut into wedges
  • salt & black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil plus reserved oil from the anchovies

To Serve

  • 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted in a dry pan or baking tray
  • 1 lemon, zest only

Instructions

  1. Put the garlic, gherkins, capers and anchovy fillets on a board and start roughly chopping with a large knife, combining the ingredients as you go.

  2. Add all the herbs and continue chopping and mixing until everything is quite fine and well combined.

    Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

  3. Add a good grind of black pepper, then stir in the vinegar, mustard, sugar and olive oil to create a thick sauce.

  4. Taste, then add more of any ingredient or a pinch of salt until the sauce is to your liking.

    Set aside for 1 hour for the flavours to meld.

For the Roasted Cauliflower

  1. Preheat the oven to 220C / 200C Fan / Gas 6.

  2. Put the prepared cauliflower, and onion if using, into a baking tray.

    Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the reserved anchovy oil plus the tablespoon of olive oil.

    Mix together well until the vegetables are evenly coated.

  3. Put in the oven and roast until the vegetables are cooked but still have some bite. Stir occasionally so they brown evenly all over. (20-25 minutes).

    Remove from the oven.

To Serve

  1. Spoon over the vegetables as much of the Salsa Verde as you like, along with two thirds of the pine nuts and lemon zest.

  2. Divide between two bowls, spooning over more of the Salsa Verde if liked, and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts and lemon zest.

Recipe Notes

Omit the anchovies for a plant-based meal: replace with more capers and use an extra tablespoon of olive oil to replace the anchovy oil.

 

Roast some broccoli along with the cauliflower if liked.

 

For a more substantial meal, stir cooked pasta through the roasted vegetables after you've dressed them with Salsa Verde. You can also serve the Salsa Verde with Roasted Cauliflower over cooked grains such as bulgur wheat.