Cauliflower with Roasted Pepper Cream and Black Lentils

Ingredients by component

Cauliflower steak

• 1600 g cauliflower (two small heads)
• 25 ml olive oil
• 3 g salt
• 2 g smoked paprika

Roasted pepper cream

• 400 g red bell peppers
• 40 g almonds
• 15 ml olive oil
• 10 ml apple cider vinegar
• 2 g salt

Black lentils with shallots

• 180 g dry black lentils
• 80 g shallots
• 15 ml olive oil
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 3 g salt

Quick-pickled radish

• 120 g radishes
• 50 ml apple cider vinegar
• 50 ml water
• 10 g sugar
• 2 g salt

Preparation and assembly

1. Start components that need soaking, chilling or long roasting first. Finish purées and sauces during roasting; cook gnocchi, ravioli or risotto just before serving. Quantities are listed separately for each component.
2. Cauliflower steak: Cut four 3 cm steaks from the centres of two cauliflower heads; save loose florets for another dish. Rub the steaks with oil, salt and paprika.
3. Cauliflower steak: Roast on baking paper at 210°C for 30–35 minutes, turning carefully after 20 minutes. The core should be tender and the surface golden.
4. Roasted pepper cream: Halve and deseed peppers. Roast skin-side up at 230°C for 25 minutes. Cover for 10 minutes, then peel.
5. Roasted pepper cream: Toast almonds in a dry pan for 3 minutes. Blend with peppers, oil, vinegar and salt to a smooth cream, adding a tablespoon of water if needed.
6. Black lentils with shallots: Rinse lentils and simmer in plenty of water for 20–25 minutes, until tender but intact. Drain.
7. Black lentils with shallots: Sauté chopped shallots in oil for 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, lemon and salt and heat for 2 minutes.
8. Quick-pickled radish: Bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to the boil and take off the heat. Slice radishes very thinly.
9. Quick-pickled radish: Pour over radishes and stand for 25 minutes. Drain the amount needed for plating; the pickling liquid is not part of the serving.
10. Divide the base cream or sauce evenly among plates, add the main component, then the crunchy or acidic accents. Use oil and reductions sparingly. Serve desserts on cool plates and hot dishes on warmed plates.

Tip

Always sieve purées for a fine texture. Add reductions gradually and taste a complete bite before adding salt. Time includes the stated resting and chilling periods and is an editorial estimate.