Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower & Fig Salad w/ Toasted Cashews and Pickled Red Onion

A summer dinner party salad—

I recently put this salad together right before a lil dinner party with my friends. My friend Sophia told me to bring a salad of some sort/or something bright! This salad is a combo of the 2—it’s summery/bright, spiced and subtly sweet, makes a perfect amount for a small get together, and comes together relatively quick!

We enjoyed it along with a delicious meal my friends put together! We had pasta with a tomato eggplant sauce, bread, roasted potatoes and drinks my friends made (we sampled a bunch of fun botanical gins that Sophia made with gin/herbs from her garden/it was so lovely! <3

Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower & Fig Salad w/ Toasted Cashews and Pickled Red Onion

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale

1 cup arugula

1 cup micro-greens,sprouts or more arugula

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp chili powder

1.5 cups cauliflower, chopped into bight size pieces

1/2 cup dried golden figs, thinly sliced

1/3 cup cashews, roughly chopped

1/4 cup pickled red onion

Quick Pickled Red Onion:

1 small to medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cane sugar

*massage the red onion in a medium size bowl along with your other ingredients until the onion softens. store in a jar and allow it to sit for at least 30min. Set aside.

Dressing:

1/4 olive oil

1 tbsp agave

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

*whisk all ingredients in a small bowl.

Instructions:

Add all of your greens to a large bowl and massage with a little olive oil ,salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large pan or skillet on medium-low heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil along with your garlic and cumin seeds. Saute until fragrant, (around 3 minutes), then add in the rest of your spices and saute for another 2 minutes, tossing frequently.

Add your cauliflower into the garlic/spice mixture and toss until it is coated in the spices. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until the cauliflower in soft and charred on some sides, tossing frequently (you may need to turn up the heat a little). Add in your sliced figs and cook for another 5-8 minutes, allowing the figs to soften and get a little crispy on the edges. Turn off your heat and set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.

In a small pan over medium heat, add your chopped cashews. Keep tossing them until the cashews become browned, golden, and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them or they will burn! Turn off the heat and set aside.

To the bowl of greens, add in your cauliflower/fig mix, 1/4 cup pickled red onion, and toasted cashews. Toss. Add in your dressing and give it one more good toss until everything is coated in the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If your are not serving your salad right away, wait to add in your chopped cashews until right before serving. This will prevent them from softening and losing their crunch!