Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with Dates & Pine Nuts

Harissa Cauliflower with Dates & Pine Nuts

This recipe is from the Foraged Dish archives. It’s a favorite this time of year, and the photos were old (and embarrassing! 😛). I made it for dinner recently and took the opportunity to reshoot, and write simpler directions. Recipe is the same!

Cauliflower: under-the-radar fall veggie (squash gets all the glory this time of year), but versatile, well-loved, and absolutely delicious. In this dish, the cauliflower gets tossed in harissa for a touch of heat, and then mixes with rich dates and pine nuts. Lemon zest and parsley brings brightness. A great side dish for a fall dinner party.

Harissa Cauliflower with Dates & Pine Nuts
Harissa Cauliflower with Dates & Pine Nuts

Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with Dates & Pine Nuts

Published August 23, 2016 by
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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 active minutes



Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons Harissa paste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup dates, pitted
  • Small handful parsley, flat leaf
  • Zest 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary

  • Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk Harissa paste with olive oil. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Place florets in bowl, and toss in Harissa mixture. Spread out on sheet pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until crisp on edges and tender. Set aside.
    2. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a small skillet over low heat until golden. Watch them closely to avoid burning.
    3. Roughly chop dates, and mince parsley and rosemary.
    4. When cauliflower is ready, transfer it to a serving bowl. Add additional salt or pepper to taste. Zest half a lemon over the cauliflower.
    5. Sprinkle dates, pine nuts, parsley, and rosemary over cauliflower and serve.

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    Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

    Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

    Last year, its was the front yard; this year, it’s the back.

    Our backyard. AKA Bind Weed Jungle. The Sloping Hill. The place I wish we spent time but we don’t really—unless we’re using the grill. This year, we’re setting out to change that, by dealing with that slope and the weeds covering it (seriously, they were hip-high last year). We’re adding a large retaining wall, planting native flowers, and maybe—if somehow we gain three extra weeks to our summer—adding space to actually “hang out.” Until that’s done though, the yard is still what it has been since we moved in: the grill spot.

    But who said grilling has to be burgers, hotdogs, and chicken? I’ve been all about charred veggies lately, (carrots, but also cauliflower, and doesn’t this salad from Heart Beet Kitchen look killer?). Combining those hot grilled veggies with other textures and flavors to complete the picture is where it’s at (sauce, fresh herbs, crunchy nuts, etc). Try something new! Grill carrots. I dare you!

    Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce
    Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

    Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

    Published July 10, 2019 by
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    Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 30 minutes



    Ingredients:

  • 8-10 carrots, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
  • 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons raisins
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • Sprinkle of ground sumac
  • Optional: sprinkle of red chili flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes 

  • Directions:

    1. Light grill and set to medium flame. Close lid to allow grill to heat.
    2. Meanwhile, prep carrots: if carrots are thick, cut in half the long way. They should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Peel, and place carrots in bowl, and drizzle with oil and honey.
    3. Mince garlic, and remove thyme leaves from stems. Add garlic, thyme leaves, and a sprinkle of black pepper to carrots and toss to combine. Place carrots in a grill basket or directly on the grill (just be careful to keep them from falling through the cracks!), and close grill lid. Grill for a total of 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Carrots are done when they are softened through and are charred in spots. (Note: if carrots are charring too quickly, your grill may be too hot; turn down the flame).
    4. Meanwhile, make the sauce: combine feta, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, and oregano in a small bowl and stir.
    5. Assemble: Spread feta sauce in a generous layer on a plate. Arrange carrots over top. Sprinkle with almonds, raisins, parsley, sumac, and chili flakes. Serve warm.

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    Roasted Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs

    Roasted Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs

    Real summer is still a ways off, but we’ve been eating like it’s already here. An over-sized watermelon eaten in wedges, grilling every evening for dinner, and lots of fresh greens and herbs. This roasted corn salad includes a lot of quintessential summer ingredients. I wanted to publish it early in the season so you could take advantage of the first corn at the market. Grilling the corn and red bell pepper give a great toasted/caramelized flavor, while using a mix of herbs—basil, cilantro and parsley—add freshness to every bite. I used queso fresco, but if you’re unable to find that at your local grocery store, try feta or goat cheese crumbles.

    Roasted Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs
    Roasted Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs

    Roasted Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs

    Published June 4, 2019 by
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    Serves: 4-5   |    Active Time: 30 minutes



    Ingredients:

  • 4 corn cobs
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
  • 1/4 heaping cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 heaping cup parsley leaves
  • 1/4 heaping cup basil leaves
  • 1/4 of a red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste

  • Directions:

    1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
    2. Remove husks and silk from corn. Cut bell pepper in half and remove stem and seeds.
    3. Place corn and pepper on grill. Cook for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until outside is brown in spots. Remove from heat.
    4. Allow pepper and corn to cool enough to handle (you can speed up the cooling process by placing them in a bowl with cool water).
    5. Dice roasted pepper, and place in serving bowl. Cut corn kernels from cobs, and place in bowl.
    6. Add queso fresco, herbs, red onion, olive oil, and vinegar to bowl, and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste.
    7. Serve.

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