This recipe is amazing! If you are a fan of cauliflower cheese, you will go crazy for this amped up healthy alternative. I first tried this at my friend Emma’s house and I demanded the recipe off her (I even hounded her on Facebook when she hadn’t sent it to me within a few days). Charley Noble has a similar dish at their restaurant, and this is where Emma first got her inspiration to make this at home.

Instead of a fatty cheese sauce, you serve the cauliflower with an almond sauce. Now don’t get me wrong, I love cheese, but this is so creamy and full of flavour that I know you will agree that it is better! Not only is the sauce delicious, but it is healthy too! Great for people who are lactose intolerant 🙂

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I was too busy cooking up a storm to capture the action.

Serves 2 for a main, or 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• For drizzling: extra virgin-olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup mint of leaves

Almond Sauce:

• 100g almond meal / ground almonds
• 200g extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 egg yolks
• To taste: brown rice vinegar

Method for the almond sauce:

• Place the almond meal in a saucepan with 150ml water and a little of the oil and heat gently until the almond just starts to swell (this makes it easier to blend).
• Pour almond mixture into a blender and process to a smooth paste.
• When smooth, season to taste with brown rice vinegar and sea salt.
• With the blender running, add the egg yolks, then add the oil in a thin, steady stream until thick and creamy, check seasoning and set aside at room temperature.

Method:

• Peel off the large outer leaves, then quarter the cauliflower, remove some of the core and steam (or boil) on high for around 10 minutes or until a skewer goes into the stem easily. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Heat the oven to as hot as you can get it. Place the cauliflower on a roasting tray or a cast-iron pan and roast until it’s dark golden brown (10-15 minutes; any charred parts are fine and add flavour).
• Remove from the oven and dress simply with olive oil and lemon juice, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
• To plate up, cover a dish with the almond sauce and sit the cauliflower on top, Scatter with almonds and mint.
• I served the cauliflower with pan fried fish and zucchini boats, delish!