The bed of spiced lamb mince sauce packs some serious flavour in this hearty winter dish.

Recipe: Ruth Pretty

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
375g lean lamb mince
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes in juice
3 roasted piquillo peppers (sold in jars in supermarkets), chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped red chilli (deseed chilli first for a milder flavour)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium/large whole cauliflower (including leaves and stalk)

METHOD

Heat oven to 180°C.

On the stovetop heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a 25cm to 28cm lidded casserole, add the mince and cook on a low temperature for 5 to 7 minutes or until just cooked. Tip mince into a colander to drain fat and set aside.

Return the casserole to the heat, add the remaining oil. Soften the onion for 3 to 4 minutes (don’t brown it), add the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until a thick paste is formed.

Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, piquillo peppers, chilli, cumin and coriander, salt, pepper and mince. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is richly coloured and thickened.

Carefully lower the whole cauliflower into the sauce, cut-side down. Bake for 45 minutes with the lid on the casserole. The cauliflower should be meltingly tender. Spoon sauce into serving bowls then top with a portion of cauliflower.

COOK’S TIP

To make a vegan version of this recipe, replace the mince with the same weight of cooked, drained and rinsed canned beans (such as black beans).

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