Cauliflower With Ginger and Chickpeas

Serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a side

The cauliflower can be steamed a day ahead and reheated before serving. The onion sauce can also be made ahead. Spoon this same sauce over grilled or sautéed fish or rice as well.

INGREDIENTS:
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium onions, thin sliced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 large garlic cloves, minced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced (about 1 3/4 teaspoons)
1 chile de arbol, chopped (with seeds for greater heat)
1/3 cup raisins
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
4 threads of saffron
1/4 cup vinegar (rice, cider or wine)
2 tablespoons sun–dried tomato paste or regular tomato paste
1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 large cauliflower, cut into large florets
optional * 1/2 cup salted cashews broken into large pieces

DIRECTIONS:
1. Film the bottom of a 12-inch skillet with oil. Heat over medium-high to high. Add the onions and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat, stirring often, until onions begin to color, about 10 – 12 minutes
2. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chili, coriander, raisins, chickpeas, turmeric, and saffron. Stir over medium-high 2 minutes then add the vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all vinegar has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
3. Push the sauté to the sides of the pan so the center is empty and add the tomato paste. Sauté about 30 seconds, add the broth, then stir until the paste and water are combined. Now stir everything together, cooking another 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and set the sauté aside. (You may refrigerate the sauce overnight at this point).
4. Set a collapsible steamer in a 6-quart pot, add several inches of water, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Place the cauliflower in the steamer and sprinkle with salt. Steam until the cauliflower shows a little resistance when pierced with a knife. With long tongs remove the cauliflower to a large shallow bowl.
5. Heat the onion sauté and spoon it over the cauliflower, using any liquid in the pan. Scatter with cashews, if desired. Serve.


**Turmeric is part of the ginger family. The rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens. Afterwards, they are ground into a deep orangish powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to color mustard condiments. It has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.
In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian Saffron, since it is often substitute far more expensive saffron.

*Leftover fresh ginger root can be stored in the freezer. Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and seal in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month. When it is frozen, ginger is very easy to grate.

Recipe by Cristina Paul