Freekeh with Cauliflower, Pomegranate and Mint (serves 4)

Ingredients:

300 gr freekeh
7 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
500 ml vegetable stock
cauliflower, broken into small florets
cup plain fluor
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
400 gr tin lentils, rinsed and drained
1 pomegranate
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup mint
1(3 cup coriander
1/3 cup basil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Soak freekeh for five minutes, then drain.  Heat one tbsp oil in a medium pot, saute onion until softened, add freekeh then add stock and cook for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, cut cauliflower into small florets and place in a large bowl.  Mix fluor, cumin and coriander.  Toss cauliflower in spiced fluor to coat.  Heat remaining oil in large frypan.  Add spice-dusted cauliflower and fry over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until cauliflower is soft and golden.  Add extra oil if required.  Toss with freekeh, scatter over drained lentils, pomegranate seeds, toasted walnuts and fresh herbs.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and pomegranate molasses and serve.  

Pomegranate molasses recipe:

4 cups pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice.

In a large uncovered saucepan, heat pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice on medium high until the sugar has dissolved and the juice simmers.  Reduce heat just enough to maintain a simmer.  Simmer for about an hour, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency, and has reduced to 1 to 1 1/4 cups.  Pour out into a jar.  Let cool.  Store chilled in the refrigerator.

If you want your pomegranate molasses to be sweeter, add more sugar to taste, while you are cooking it.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Polonaise (6 servings)

1 cauliflower (about 2 lb)

boiling water

salt

3 slices lemon

1 bunch fresh broccoli (about 1 1/2 lb)

3/4 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup soft white-bread crumbs

2 tbsp lemon juice

Trim leaves and stem from cauliflower.  Place, stem side down, in large kettle. Cover with boiling water.  Add 1 1/2 tsp salt and the lemon slices.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender.  Drain.

Wash and trim leaves from broccoli.  Using a vegetable peeler, remove tough outer skin from stalks.  If stalks are very large, split lenghtwise, right through flowers.  Arrange in single layer in bottom of skillet.

Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over broccoli; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook over medium heat, covered, 8 to 10 minutes, or until stalks are just tender and water is evaporated.

Meanwhile, slowly heat 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet.  Add bread crumbs, and sauté, stirring, until golden-brown.  Remove crumbs, and ser aside.  In same skillet, melt remaining butter with lemon juice.

Drain Broccoli and cauliflower.  Pour lemon butter over vegetables.  Arrange on serving platter; sprinkle with browned crumbs.

Cauliflower or Broccoli Hollandaise

Cook Cauliflower or broccoli as directed in above recipe, omitting buttered crumbs and lemon butter.

While vegetable is cooking, make Hollandaise Sauce, below.  To serve, pour cause over vegetable on serving platter.

Hollandaise Sauce

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

In top of bouble boiler, using wire whisk or fork, slightly beat egg yolks.  Slowly beat in butter.  Cook, stirring, over hot water (water in double-boiler base should not touch pan above) just until thickened.

Remove double-boiler top from hot water.  Gradually beat lemon juice and salt into sauce until as thick as mayonnaise.  Makes about 2/3 cup.



Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce (6 servings)

1 medium size, firm white cauliflower (about 2 lb)
boiling water
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp fluor
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
6 tbsp grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
dash nutmeg

Wash cauliflower, removing outer leaves.  With sharp knife, cut a cross 1/2 in deep in base of stalk.  Place cauliflower, stem end down, in large kettle.  Add boiling water to measure 3 or 4 inches deep.  Boil, covered, 20 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, make sauce; in medium saucepan, melt butter.  Remove from heat; stir in fluor and salt; then gradually stir in milk.  Bring to boiling, stirring; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes; add 3 tbsp cheddar and the parmesan cheese; stir until melted.  Keep sauce warm over hot water until serving time.

Drain cauliflower; put in a heatproof serving dish; pour sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and remaining 3 tbsp Cheddar. (Drain excess water from cauliflower).

Steamed Cauliflowers (8 servings)

1 large head cauliflower (2 lb)
boiling water
salt
pepper
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 to 2 tbsp lemon juice

Wash cauliflowers; remove leaves.  Cut into flowerets.  Place steamer rack in bottom of 5-quart Dutch oven.  Arrange cauliflowerets in rack.  Pour boiling water into Dutch oven about 1 inch deep.  Cook over medium heat, covered, just until cauliflower is tender, 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove from rack to warm serving dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Pour melted butter and lemon juice over top, and toss to coat well.