Recipe: Ceri Jones’ Roasted Sprout And Pomegranate Salad

“If you’re one of the folks who eat sprouts just because it’s Christmas and not because you enjoy them, then you should try them roasted,” says Ceri Jones, who shares this exclusive (and utterly divine) recipe for her roasted sprout and pomegranate salad. A perfect contribution for Christmas lunch, that everyone will enjoy. 

Sprouts caramelise when roasted, charring slightly in the heat of the oven and crisping up deliciously around the edges. This completely transforms them from the soggy boiled sprouts most of us remember from our childhoods.

When you combine sprouts with the bright colours of seasonal pomegranate seeds, the contrast of white cauliflower, and the a slight sweetness of orange you end up with a deliciously light, vibrant salad full of Christmas colours which would be perfect for a Boxing day ‘light’ feast on its own or alongside a piece of baked or grilled fish.

Many variations are a possibility with this salad. Some cooked quinoa would be a perfect substitution for the cauliflower, and if dairy is not your thing, dare to go mental with lentils instead!

Roasted Sprout & Pomegranate Salad

Serves: 3 as a main, more as a side dish
Total Time: 30 minutes
Notes: Suitable for gluten free, vegetarian, paleo, vegan diets (with adaptations)

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 500g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
  • ½ tbs olive oil
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ medium cauliflower, ‘riced’*
  • 50g mixed salad leaves (e.g baby spinach, rocket, baby red chard)
  • 2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments discarding the pith (supremed)
  • Seeds from 1 pomegranate
  • Feta cheese, crumbled – 50g per person for a main dish, less for a side.
  • A few crumbled pistachios

* to rice the cauliflower, chop the raw cauliflower into chunks and pulse in a food processor until it resembles rice.

Dressing:

  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • ½ Tbs orange juice
  • ½ Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp orange zest

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C
  2. Toss the sprouts in the olive oil and salt, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and cool
  3. Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower rice for 10 minutes, until soft. Set aside to cool.
  4. Make the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients and set aside.
  5. Once the sprouts and cauliflower have cooled you can assemble the salad. In a large bowl toss the sprouts with the cauliflower, mixed salad leaves, orange segments, pomegranate and all of the dressing. Scatter the feta over the salad and a few crumbles pistachios for the crunch factor.
Recipe: Ceri Jones’ Roasted Sprout And Pomegranate Salad
Image: Roasted Sprout & Pomegranate Salad

Ceri Jones writes the successful whole foods blog Natural Kitchen Adventures. Professionally trained at the Holistic Culinary School in San Francisco, Ceri lives and works in London as a freelance Natural Chef, food writer and healthy cooking instructor. In her flourishing career in food, Ceri has worked for Retreat Café, Blackheath Cooks, Made in Hackney and has many published works online and offline.

www.naturalkitchenadventures.com 

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