Maple Mustard Whole Roast Cauliflower w/ Pomegranate Salad & Hemp Herb Sauce

This is a different take on your traditional Sunday Roast, but honestly if you make it, you won’t be disappointed. Not only does it look presented when placed on the table, it tastes phenomenal. The sweet crispy edges that form on the outside of the cauliflower are the vegetarian equivalent of crackling. I often serve this dish with falafel, hummus as well as this pomegranate side salad and herby hemp sauce. The divine combinations of colours and flavours will keep your tummy happy, healthy and comfortably satiated.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch spring onions1 large head cauliflower
• 3 tbsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or rice malt syrup)
• 3 tbsp garlic infused extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Hemp herb sauce

• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped¼ cup coriander¼ cup fresh mint2 tbsp garlic infused extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp hemp oil (or more olive oil)1 lemon, juicedSea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts – I use and love theHemple brand)

Pomegranate Salad

• 3 cups baby spinach¼ cup dry roasted almonds, chopped¼ cup pomegranate arils

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 220°C and line a deep glass or Pyrex dish with aluminium foil and then baking paper.
2.   Lay spring onions evenly on the bottom on the dish. Set aside.
3.   Place whole cauliflower in a large bowl and add 1 – 2 cm of water on the bottom.
4.   Cover bowl with a plate and microwave on high for 5 minutes to lightly steam the cauliflower. Set aside to cool.
5.   To make the maple mustard glaze, place the wholegrain or Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and garlic infused olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
6.   Transfer cauliflower to dish with spring onions.Using a pastry brush or spoon, cover the cauliflower in the maple mustard glaze.
7.   Place into oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. If cauliflower begins to brown too quickly, cover in aluminium foil and remove for the last 10 minutes to crisp up again.
8.   While cauliflower is cooking, make the hemp herb sauce.
9.   Place the parsley, coriander, mint, garlic infused olive oil, and hemp oil in a small food processor. Blitz to combine.
10.   Transfer hemp herb sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle over hemp seeds and season with salt and pepper.
11.   Combine all the ingredients for the pomegranate salad.
12.   To serve, place the pomegranate salad on a large serving plate, top with cauliflower and serve with hemp sauce on the side.