It has been a bloody long time since I posted a recipe. Why? Honestly, I have been very lazy at trying new things. It isn’t that I haven’t been cooking – I still take a weekly trip to the market on Saturday mornings, but for the last few months I have been cooking the exact same thing every week. Boring, I know, but I haven’t had the head space to think about other options. Until now.

This dish is inspired by one of the most delicious things I tasted when I lived in Melbourne. I worked as a waitress in a cute little neighbourhood restaurant called Huxtable, which sadly closed down not long after I left. This cauliflower with harissa yoghurt had been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2012. And remained one of the favourites until they closed their doors. Try it and you’ll see why.

The only real difference between their version and my version is that they deep fried it. I’m not nutty enough to buy a deep frier for my house, or even attempt to do it in a pan, so I oven roasted it for ages in olive oil instead.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower – chopped into florets
100ml extra virgin olive oil
8 large garlic cloves – peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tsbp za’atar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Coriander (as much or as little as you like)

For the yoghurt
100ml Greek yoghurt
2 tsp harissa paste
1 small garlic clove, grated

Method

Pre heat oven to 475 degrees F, 245 C, Gas 8

1. Place cauliflower into large roasting tray with the garlic. Drizzle over olive oil and cover tightly with foil
2. Place in oven and bake for 15 mins
3. Take out, toss and place back in the oven uncovered for another 15 minutes
4. Take out, sprinkle with za’atar, toss and place back in the oven uncovered for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown
5. Meanwhile, mix yoghurt, garlic and harissa paste in a small bowl
6. When ready, take out of the oven, assmemble on plate, place a dollop of yoghurt on top and sprinkle with torn coriander