Recipe from Love & Lemons Every Day: More Than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal by Jeanine Donofrio, photographs by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews. Reprinted with permission from Avery/Penguin Random House.
This riff on jeweled rice pilaf swaps in cauliflower “rice” for regular rice. The dish pops with crunch and sparkles with color, enlivened by a tangy, slightly sweet and just a tad spicy dressing. Serve this as a side dish with any type of protein you enjoy, or simply relish on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
- ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 small cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets (~1 pound)
- ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped (⅓ cup)
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup toasted chopped almonds
- ¼ cup toasted chopped pistachios
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1½ teaspoons orange zest
- Orange wedges for serving
Preparation
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, sriracha, salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Make the pilaf: Working in batches, place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice. This should yield about 4 cups riced cauliflower.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until soft. Add the cauliflower rice, scallions, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the cauliflower has just softened. Do not overcook.
Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with ¾ of the dressing, the nuts, herbs, pomegranate seeds and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a platter, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and serve with the orange wedges.
