CAULIFLOWER WITH SALTED ALMONDS, SHALLOT & CHILLI

This is great served with pig’s cheeks if you don’t go the breaded empanados route (see here). Adding milk to the cooking water is meant to stop your house smelling of boiled cauliflower!

FOR 4

1 large cauliflower

100ml whole milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

100g Marcona salted almonds

50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 shallots, finely chopped

1 dried red chilli, finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Trim the stalk from the cauliflower and separate the florets. Peel the stalk and cut into short, thin strips similar in size to the florets. Put 100ml of water into a pan with the milk and a pinch of salt and bring to a gentle boil, then blanch the cauliflower stalks and florets until al dente. Drain and, if you are cooking the cauliflower in advance, place in a bowl of cold water.

Roughly crack the salted almonds with the back of a knife on a chopping board.

Put the oil into a pan on a medium heat, then add the drained cauliflower and allow to caramelize slightly. Add the shallots and cook gently until soft, then add the chilli and the almonds and cook for a minute or so. Season (remember that the almonds are already salted), then add the parsley. Take off the heat, drizzle with a little olive oil and mix everything together.