Recipe: Nomad’s Roast Cauliflower With Currant Escabeche and Almond

Until September 2024, Jacqui Challinor was head chef at one of Sydney’s most popular restaurants, the Mediterranean-inspired Nomad, which opened a Melbourne outpost in 2021.

Challinor is known for her expert use of fire and smoke, and this recipe brings a little of that char to our kitchens at home. After a blast in a hot oven, the cauliflower florets are just-scorched, and the escabeche adds some zing.

It's the perfect accompaniment to a meaty main or woodfired whole fish – or a beautiful dinner all on its own.

“It's one of my favourite dishes,” Challinor says. “It’s a flavour-packed accompaniment and a great way to make a hearty meal out of veggies.”

Start this recipe two days before serving.

Roast cauliflower with currant escabeche and almond

Serves 4
Preparation time: 90 minutes (plus soaking)
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Escabeche
70g brown onion, finely sliced
8g garlic, finely diced
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
40g carrot, finely diced
3g cumin seeds
125g extra-virgin olive oil (Challinor prefers Alto Delicate)
40g white-wine vinegar
125g currants

Almond puree
175g almonds, soaked overnight in water
15g garlic
7g salt
40g lemon juice
140ml extra-virgin olive oil

For the almond puree, soak almonds in water for 48 hours. Strain almonds and reserve 150ml water. In a food processor combine almonds, garlic and salt. Blend to a fine crumb. Add lemon juice and olive oil, blend to a paste. Slowly add almond water to emulsify. Continue to blend until smooth, light and fluffy.

For escabeche, combine onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, carrot, cumin and oil in a saucepan and gently simmer until aromatic and onions have softened. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Place currants in a bowl and pour hot dressing over. Infuse for 24 hours before use.

To assemble, preheat oven to 200°C. Quarter the cauliflower, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 mins or until you can pierce the centre with a knife.

To serve, spoon the almond puree onto a plate, place the cauliflower on top, then liberally spoon the escabeche over the cauliflower. Finish off with the parsley.

For more cauli inspiration, check out Broadsheet 's cauliflower recipe collection.

This article was updated on December 10, 2024 to reflect Jacqui Challinor's departure from Nomad.

For more dishes to cook once the mercury drops, check out Broadsheet ’s winter recipe series.