Delicious UK - (09)September 2020

Spicedplantainwith

coconut,apple and

gingersalad

SERVES4.HANDS-ONTIME 20 MIN,

PLUS MARINATING

Myco-authoronthenew

bookisIxtaBelfrage,thehead

ofmytestkitcheninCamden.

HermothergrewupinBrazil

andCubaeatingplantains

alongsideeverysavourymeal,

anditwasa traditioncarried

throughtoIxta’schildhood.

Thisisa specialstarter,orcould

bebulkedupwithfriedtofuor

grilled prawns for a main.

KNOW-

HOW

Plantainsaresavoury

bananas.Forthisrecipeyou

needripeplantains:deep

yellow,softandblack-spotted.Find

themingoodgreengrocersand

Caribbean supermarkets.

• 2 veryripeplantains(400g),
  peeled,thenslicedinhalf
  widthwaysandlengthways


• 4 tbspoliveoil


• 2½tspsoftlightbrownsugar


• ½tspfreshginger, peeled and
  finelygrated


• ¾tspgroundcinnamon


• ¾tspgroundcumin


• ½tspcayennepepper


• ½tspgroundnutmeg


• 90gfreshcoconut,thinlysliced
  ona mandoline,orbyhand


• 2 limes:finelygratethezesttoget
  1 tsp,thenjuicetoget2 tbsp;cut
  theremainderinwedgestoserve


• 1 greenchilli,deseededand
  julienned(shredded)


• 1 grannysmithapple(140g),
  unpeeled,core removed, julienned
  (shredded)


• 15gunsaltedbutter


• 10gcorianderleaves,picked


• 10g mint leaves, picked

1 Heattheovento200°C/

180°Cfan/gas6.

2 Placetheplantainsina medium

bowlwith3 tbspoftheoil,2 tspof

thesugar,¼tspoftheginger,½tsp

of the cinnamon, ½ tsp of the cumin

Cauliflowerroasted

inchillibutter

SERVES4 ASA MAIN.HANDS-ONTIME

15 MIN, OVEN TIME 65-70 MIN

Normallywhenwegivea

vegetablecentrestageonthe

dinnertable,ourtendencyisto

let it bask in its own simplicity,

andallthecayenneandnutmeg.

Mixtocoat,thensetasideto

marinateforatleast 30 minutes.

3 Meanwhile,preparethesalad.

Placethecoconut,limezest,lime

juice,chilli,apple,theremaining

ginger,cinnamonandcuminandthe

remaining1 tbspoilina bowlwitha

pinchofsalt.Mixwellandsetaside.

4 Putthebutterina largeovenproof

non-stickpanandplaceona high

heat.Oncethebutterhasmelted

andishot,addtheplantain,spaced

apart(ifyoudon’thavea bigenough

pan,youcanfrytheplantainin 2

batches).Reservetheoilandspices

inthebowlinwhichyoumarinated

theplantains– youneedtheselater

onforthesalad.Reducetheheatto

medium-highandfrytheplantains

for3 minutes,turningthemeveryso

oftenuntilgolden-brownandcrisp

allover.Transferthepantotheoven

andcookforanother3 minutes.

5 Addthecoriander,mintandthe

preparedsaladtothebowlinwhich

youmarinatedtheplantain.Toss,

makingsuretoincorporatetheoil

andspicemarinadeleftinthebowl.

6 Dividetheplantainandsalad

among4 platesandservewith the

limewedgesalongside.

PERSERVING370kcals,22.9gfat

(10.8gsaturated),2.6gprotein,

36.1gcarbs(13.4g sugars), trace

salt, 4.6g fibre

butinthisrecipewedo

theopposite.Throughthe

combinationofgrilledchillies

andonions,lotsofbrowned

butteranda longcooking

process,thecauliflowerhere

turnsridiculouslyrichin

flavour – almost meaty.

MAKE

AHEAD

Thechillibuttercanbe

madeupto2 weeksahead

(coverandchill).We’durge

youtomakedouble– it’sgreat

meltedovereggs,orusedasa

marinadeforvegorroastchicken.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIP

Blanchthecauliflowerin

batchesinstep2 if youdon’t

havea bigenoughpan.

KNOW-

HOW

Urfachilliisa driedpepper

witha smoky-sweetflavour.

BuyfromMiddleEastern

grocers, ottolenghi.co.uk or Ocado.

• 2 largewholecauliflowers (1.9kg),
  withleaves


• 2 onions,peeled and cut into
  eighths


• 8 redchillieswitha slitcut
  lengthwaysintothem


• 1 lemon, cut into wedges to serve

CHILLIBUTTER

• 120gunsaltedbutter,melted(or
  120mloliveoiltomake it vegan)


• 110mloliveoil


• 1¼tbspredbellpepperflakes
  (seeYotam’sEssentials,overleaf)


• 2½tsptomatopaste/purée


• 1¼tspurfachilli(seeKnow-how)


• 90groseharissa(seeoverleaf)


• ¾tspaleppo chilli flakes (see
  overleaf)


• 3 garliccloves,crushed


• 1½tspcaster sugar


• 1 tsp salt

1 Trimtheleavesatthetopofeach

cauliflowersoabout5cmofthe

actualcauliflowerisexposed.Cut

bothcauliflowersintoquarters

lengthways,makingsuretheleaves

remainattachedatthebase.

2 Filla verylargepan(largeenough

tofitallthecauliflowerquarters–

seetip)withwellsaltedwaterand

bringtotheboil.Onceboiling,

blanch for 2 minutes, weighing →

62 deliciousmagazine.co.uk