A deliciously warming autumn salad to enjoy as an appetiser, or a comforting main meal on cosy afternoons
Serves 5 as an appetiser
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cauliflower, cut into rosettes
- 3 leeks, halved then cut into 1cm slices
- 1 tin of cooked chickpeas, washed and skins removed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the mustard and apple dressing
- 1 apple, peeled and cut into segments
- 200ml of extra virgin oil
- 100ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp of mustard
- 3 tbsp of parsley
- Salt and pepper
For the sourdough croutons
- 4 slices of crusty bread, diced in 1cm cubes
- 4 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
STEP ONE
Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius. Put the prepped cauliflower in a bowl and dress it with half of the olive oil and some salt and pepper before transferring it to a baking tray. Roast for 12 minutes.
STEP TWO
Wash the prepped leeks and plunge them in boiling water for one minute. Drain and set aside. Then mix the remaining olive oil with the lemon zest, salt and pepper.
STEP THREE
While the cauliflower is roasting, put all the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor until the apple becomes of a purée consistency. Transfer the dressing into an airtight jar.
STEP FOUR
Toast the croutons in the oven until crunchy. Next, mix the olive oil with the minced garlic and seasoning, and drizzle over your toasted croutons.
STEP FIVE
Once the cauliflower is roasted, mix it in a bowl with the chickpeas, leeks and the lemon oil, before transferring to a serving bowl. Top your autumn salad with the croutons and drizzle over some of the mustard and apple dressing before serving.
STEP SIX
Your dressing can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. We recommend taking it out of the fridge an hour or so before using it just to allow the olive oil to return to its liquid state.
Read more seasonal recipes, or find more inspiration at @cotswoldco.
