The summer months are finally around the corner and nothing beat a good old feast al fresco. This vibrant plant based feast is perfect for when you have guests around or just for when you want to treat yourself to something super delicious and nutritious at the same time. The cauliflower steaks were definitely the star of the show and when rubbed in this coconuty indian inspired marinade they become so flavoursome and perfect to be saved with the fresh and fruity quinoa tabouleh salad. The aubergine and cannellini beans is just the icing on the cake. It adds creaminess to the dish and I absolutely love the gorgeous smoky flavour. 

Ingredients:

Serves 2 or 3 people 

For the roasted cauliflower:

1 head of cauliflower 

For the marinade;

3 tbsp of unsweetened coconut yogurt 

1/4 tsp of turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp of smoked paprika 

1/2 tsp of cumin powder 

1 tbsp of lemon juice 

1 tbsp of olive oil 

A pinch of salt and pepper 

For the quinoa tabouleh:

1/2 cup of quinoa

1 cup of water 

The juice of 1/2 lemon 

The seeds of 1/2 pomegranate 

Half of cucumber – diced in very small pieces

A generous handful of fresh parsley – finely chopped 

1 fresh red chilli – optional 

1 tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the cannellini bean & Aubergine dip:

1 large aubergine 

1/2 cup of cooked cannellini beans 

1  1/2 tbsp of tahini  

The juice of 1/2 lemon 

1 clove of garlic -crushed 

1/4 teaspoon of cumin power 

1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika 

Salt to taste 

Remove the leaves and stalks from the cauliflower. Slice it lengthways in thick slices (about 1cm thick). In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the marinade until you have a creamy mixture. Using a kitchen brush coat the cauliflower steak with the marinade. If you have the time do this the night before and let the cauliflower marinate in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have the time try to leave it for at least 1-2 hours. 

Cook the quinoa. Simple place the quinoa and the water in a pan, bring it to boil. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and put the lid on. Cook until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is soft and looks like it has little tails 🙂 Leave the quinoa onto one side to cool down.

Cook the Aubergine. With a fork pierce the aubergine and place it on a baking tray. No need to slice or remove the stem. Roast the aubergine for 30-35 minutes until completely soft and squishy.

Peel off the skin and the stem and place the aubergine white flesh into a food processor. Add in all the other ingredients for the dip and blitz until you have a super creamy consistency. Leave it onto one side.

Cook the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until soft and slightly golden brown. You can also cook the cauliflower on a griddle pan or even better on a barbecue for a lovely smoky flavour. 

While the cauliflower is cooking finish to dress the quinoa. Place the cooked quinoa in a bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, pomegranate seeds, chilli (if using) and the finely diced cucumber. Adjust with salt and pepper.

Divide the quinoa tabouleh into 2 plates. Add a generous dollop of the aubergine dip  and place the cauliflower steaks on top. 

Any leftovers will be great the next day as well! Just stare everything in an airtight container in the fridge.