Saffron cauliflower pasta
Cauliflower has many sides. It is lovely when golden and charred but there is also extreme pleasure in overcooking it. In this simple recipe, I don’t cook it on high heat as I often do; caramelization is not key, but a little will still occur. What we are looking for is fall-apart cauliflower that is sweet and buttery. I’ve used saffron as an elemental flavour here – it injects a beautiful wild earthiness which carries this dish.
Saffron is one of the most expensive ingredients in the world, with reason – it takes 75,000 saffron flowers to make one pound of saffron spice and most of the harvesting is done by hand. A little saffron goes a long way, so if you can, opt for a good quality, single origin variety, like this one from Diaspora Co which is grown by Raqib Mushtaq on his family’s multi-generational farm located in the historic saffron district of Pampore in Kashmiri. I appreciate brands like Diaspora who work hard to source ingredients from family owned and operated collectives – it’s nice to know where our food comes from.
This recipes serves 2 gluttonously or 4 as a light meal.
Saffron Cauliflower pasta
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegan or regular butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 fat cloves of garlic, finally chopped
- 450 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 -3 pinches of saffron threads
- 250 g gluten-free or regular pasta (I like chickpea pasta here)
- juice of 1 lemon
- handful of coriander (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
- Place a large fry pan (skillet) on medium high heat. Add the butter and once it has melted, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and allow to sizzle for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Toss in the cauliflower, and season with a good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened. Add saffron and stir; continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is very tender and starting to fall apart.
- Meanwhile bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (err on the side of slightly undercooked). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- When the cauliflower is soft and melty, add pasta to the cauliflower and stir. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to begin with, and squeeze over the lemon juice. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Stir and if it looks dry, add more of the pasta cooking water until the pasta has a light coating of ‘sauce’. Take a final taste to ensure you are happy with the seasonings (salt, pepper, lemon). Top with coriander leaves and serve immediately.
