Smoked Garlic Cauliflower

Smoked garlic is the ultimate autumn ingredient, infusing traditional comfort foods with its mellow smokiness, and reminding us of summer barbecues and camp fires on the beach. Teemed here with roasted cauliflower and salty anchovies, the flavours combine to deliver a delectable vegetable dish that will have even the most reluctant veggie-eater coming back for more. With only five ingredients (plus seasoning) this is a winning recipe on every front, and we guarantee it'll become your new favourite way to cook cauliflower.

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets  

• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil

• 6 cloves of smoked garlic, peeled and crushed

• tin of anchovies / or 12 fillets

• 100g butter, cubed

• Black pepper, to taste

• Pomegranate seeds to serve, if desired

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (fan)

2. Arrange the cauliflower florets into a baking dish. Drizzle over half the olive oil and toss the cauliflower to coat each piece. Season with a little black pepper, then pop into the oven for 30 minutes, turning once to ensure the cauliflower is evenly cooked.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan with the smoked garlic and anchovies (tip in the anchovy oil from the tin too). Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time, to encourage the anchovy fillets to flake and eventually melt into the oil. Then whisk in the cubed butter to form a creamy sauce.

4. Once the cauliflower is cooked, pour over the anchovy and smoked garlic sauce and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to serve.

5. Serve as a side vegetable, with quinoa or rice to accompany.