Cauliflower Chickpea Marinated Salad
This lovely marinated salad is a wonderful idea for summer when the weather’s hot and you need something simple, but nourishing and flavorful for dinner. Boiled cauliflower marinates in garlic, saffron, smoked paprika, and sherry vinegar, creating a bold, Spanish dish that’s great on its own or with fresh bread.
Lightly adapted from ‘Marinated Chickpea & Cauliflower Salad’ in ATK’s The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook.
Tips and Tricks
How long does it need to marinate?
Ideally, this salad should be made hours beforehand, or even the day before. The more it marinates, the better the flavor.
At a minimum however, let it marinate for 4 hours.
Substitutes for smoked paprika
Smoked paprika is used often in Spanish cuisine, and it does give this salad a unique flavor that regular paprika can’t provide.
If smoked paprika is unavailable, chipotle powder would be your next best bet. You could also make a concoction of 2 parts sweet paprika 1 part cumin.
Will other beans work in this?
Yes! Though not all. White beans would be a good alternative here. They’ll absorb the marinade well and the color will fit in with the rest of the salad.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
kosher salt
¼ tsp saffron threads
¾ cup olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp herbes de provence
¼ cup sherry vinegar
Black pepper
1 15oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
1 lemon, sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add enough salt so the water tastes like the sea, then add the cauliflower. Let cook until it’s softened (no more than 5 minutes) and drain. Set aside.
In a small bowl or ramekin, add a ½ cup of hot water followed by the saffron threads. Let sit.
In the meantime, place the olive oil in a small to medium-sized sauté pan and let heat over medium-low heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves. Watch the cloves carefully for when they begin to sizzle (as shown in the picture). Once they have, add the sugar, smoked paprika, and herbs d’provence. Let cook for a minute, then take off the heat. Add the saffron and water mixture, the vinegar, 2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste.
Place the chickpeas and lemon slices in a large bowl. Add the marinade mixture and then the cauliflower. Mix everything together. Either cover the bowl or put the mixture in a plastic bag to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Once you’re ready to serve, take out of the refrigerator (the salad is good either cold or at room temperature) and garnish with parsley.
Enjoy!
