Nigel Slater’s recipe for cauliflower with spiced pepper sauce

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it lightly. Snap the leaves from a medium-sized cauliflower, saving those that are most crisp and perky. Drop the leaves into the boiling water, let them cook for a couple of minutes, then remove them with a draining spoon.

Break the cauliflower into plump florets, then cook them until almost tender in the boiling water. Test them for readiness with a skewer or knifepoint, then drain and set aside.

Put 200g of bottled grilled peppers into a blender jug or food processor. Add 30g of skinned or flaked almonds, 1 peeled clove of garlic, 2 tbsp of sherry vinegar, ½ tsp of smoked paprika, a handful of parsley leaves and a little salt. Pour in 80ml of olive oil and process until almost smooth.

Taste, then add a little sriracha or other chilli sauce, stopping when you feel the dressing is spicy enough (I use 2 scant tbsp, but the exact amount will depend on how spicy you like it).

Heat a griddle pan. Pour a little olive oil over the drained cauliflower florets, then toss them about a bit, lightly coating them in the oil.

Place the florets on the hot griddle and cook until they have browned here and there. (There is no need to be too thorough here, you just want a few smoky notes from the grill.)

Transfer the dressing to a bowl, add the cauliflower florets and toss them gently in the dressing. Serve, with the reserved leaves. Enough for 2

The dressing is also good as an accompaniment for grilled fish, especially mackerel or squid, or with grilled aubergines or courgettes.

I sometimes grate a little lemon over the surface of this as I bring it to the table. Toasted almonds are rather fine here, too.

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