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Chef Abhijit Dey

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Brined Cauliflower with Macadamia Miso

Chef Abhijit Dey won the Fine Dining Lovers Food For Thought Award for the Pacific Region.

20 January, 2021
Average: 3.1 (16 votes)

Dietary Consideration

serves for

4

ingredients

Cauliflower
1 whole
Macadamia Nuts
300 g
Coconut cream
1 litre
Miso Paste
50 g
Cauliflower
150 g, purple/white
Pickled Onion
150 g, baby
Caster sugar
180 g
White vinegar
500 ml
Coriander
50 g
Grape Seed Oil
400 g
Leeks
1 each
Button mushrooms
50 g
Chickpeas
100 g
Coriander powder
50 g
Spinach powder
50 g
Coconut oil
100 ml
Water
30 ml
Salt
50 g
Spinach
300 g

This is a simple and healthy plant-based vegan dish that can be easily made at home as the ingredients are easily accessible. The dish is representative of the philosophy of a movement with which chef Dey is involved. Food over Conflict looks to help the hardworking growers and vegetable producers from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and India.

Step 01

Cutting culiflower

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Cut the cauliflower into discs or florets.

Step 02

for pickle

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

For pickle

Boil the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar is totally dissolved. Add 30ml of water to thin the solution, add salt to taste. Make a brine of coriander oil and pickle liquid by whisking them together at a 50/50 ratio.

Brine the cauliflower inside the liquid for 10-15 hrs.

Take the cauliflower out and sear it in a pan with coconut oil and finish it inside the oven until soft (7 min approx.)

Step 03

onion in a pan

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Heat up a saucepan with some oil and char all the pickled onion which should be sliced into 2cm thickness. Also, in the same way, sear the leeks and purple cauliflower florets until soft.

Step 04

fried chickpeas

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Deep fry some chickpeas at a high heat (180 degree centigrade).

Step 05

onion and culiflower

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Assemble the pickled onion, charred cauliflower, chickpea and leeks in an ovenproof dish and bake in the oven.

Step 06

pickle brine as dressing

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Use the pickle brine as a dressing.

Step 07

macadamia cream

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

Make the macadamia cream blended with coconut cream and miso until it is smooth.

Step 08

Cauliflower in cold water

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

For a garnish, slice the cauliflower florets with a mandolin and leave them in cold water to make them more crispy.

Step 09

spinach powder

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

To make the spinach powder, blanch the spinach for 20 seconds and then refresh it in ice water. Dry it with the help of a paper towel and dehydrate it for a day, or leave it in direct sunlight for 2 days until it is dry (optional). Blend it with a blender until it becomes a powder and sprinkle it over the sliced florets.

Step 10

Final dish

Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey

To plate it, spoon the macadamia miso on the bottom and then place the seared cauliflower on top. Add cauliflower, leeks and onion mix on top. Lightly powder the shaved florets with some spinach powder and place everything delicately on top.

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