Cauliflower, celery, lentil and apple salad

Winter

Like most vegetables, cauliflower is delicious raw as well as cooked. Lots of people like to whiz
up cauliflower florets in a food processor, which gives them a fine, grain-like texture, a little like couscous or bulgur wheat. But sometimes it’s nice to let the little florets have a bit more of a say, and as it turns out, they have a lot to talk about. In this salad I’m tumbling the cauli together with Puy lentils, celery and apples before binding them up in a lightly curried mayonnaise. I like to add a few raisins for extra sweetness and some rocket for its peppery hit.

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g (3½oz) Puy lentils, rinsed
1 cauliflower
4–5 tender celery stalks, cut into 1cm (½in) slices
2 dessert apples, quartered, cored and cut into 1cm (½in) slices
75g (2½oz) raisins
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 heaped tsp curry powder
1 tbsp chopped lovage leaves (optional)
2 handfuls of rocket leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the lentils in a medium pan, cover with plenty of salted water and set over a high heat. Bring up to the simmer, then cook for 18–25 minutes, until the lentils have softened but retain some bite. Drain them, then leave them in the colander and allow the steam to evaporate.

Cut the cauliflower florets away from the thicker stalks. Then continue to divide the florets until you end up with little tiny ones. As you do this you’ll need to trim back some of the stem each time. Place the mini florets in a bowl and add the celery, apple, raisins and cooled lentils, along with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and tumble everything together. Set aside for 30 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, make a dressing by combining the mayonnaise and yoghurt with the curry powder, lovage (if using) and the remaining oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly to combine. (Or, put the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake.)

Spoon half the dressing over the cauliflower and apple mixture and tumble everything together. Then, scatter in the rocket leaves and tumble again. Turn out the salad into a large salad bowl or onto a platter, dot over the remaining dressing and serve.

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