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Purple cauliflower?

Yes, purple cauliflower. I bought it on a whim when I saw it at my local greengrocer. It tastes just like regular cauliflower, but what a fabulous pop of colour for your salads or pastas. I don’t know if I’d do cauliflower soup with it - that’s a whole other Bridget Jones kinda vibe (if you know, you know).

But couscous is so temperamental!

I know, I know. I’ve had my soggy, clumpy couscous moments. But the key I’ve found is using a heavy based pan with a secure lid, to ensure the residual heat helps those little grains puff up nicely and absorb the water (as well as getting the ratio right, of course). You could make this salad using quinoa or corn couscous as the base for a gluten free version. It keeps really well, so you can make it up ahead and bring it along to quietly impress everyone at your next barbecue, picnic or glamping trip.

Serve this as a side, or as a main salad, topped with protein of your choice. Grilled fish or chicken go beautifully. You could also use tinned chick peas added in the final steps for vegetarian protein. A dollop of Greek yoghurt and drizzle of garlic infused and look out there’s creaminess too!

And in other musings..

Za’atar is my favourite Middle Eastern spice blend, that I put on just about everything. Heads up though: it’s not usually gluten free (if that’s relevant to you). You can find it at some supermarkets, markets and middle eastern grocers. This recipe will work just fine if you don’t have za’atar and you just roast your cauli with salt and EVOO.

The lovely thing about these flavours is the mixture of salty stock and butter, with caramelised cauliflower, delicate spices and sweet currants. The green herbs cut through for freshness and provide a loads of antioxidants, and the slivered almonds give it a lovely crunch. It’s multilayered and the flavour just keeps coming. And it might just be a good way to introduce your veggie-resistant little ones to something other than peas and potato.

As always, use a high quality, locally sourced Extra Virgin Olive oil for roasting and frying. The antioxidants in EVOO (which you don’t find in regular olive oil) keep the oil stable at high cooking temperatures. It’s also full of monounsaturated fats which are great for bolstering your ‘good’ cholesterol. Cockatoo Grove Extra Virgin olive oils are grown right here in my home state of Victoria, and they’re my pick of the bunch!