This is a vegetarian version of Coronation Salad, a curried chicken salad that was the official dish for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1954. The chicken version is often served as a tea sandwich filling on buttered white bread; try this vegetarian version in pita or on a bed of greens. I think it would also be good on any type of sandwich roll. You could make this vegan by using egg-free mayo, and non-dairy yogurt in the dressing.
Ingredients:
One large head of cauliflower. about 2 pounds, cut or broken into small flowerets, 8-9 cups of flowerets
3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon of Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Zest and juice of one lemon
1-2 tablespoons honey, to taste
1 cup of pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 apple cored and diced into small pieces – about 1 heaping cup of apple
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped parsley
additional salt and freshly ground pepper
- Lightly oil a large baking sheet with one tablespoon of the olive oil and place it in the oven while you heat the oven to 400°.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and a few good pinches of kosher salt. When the oven is hot, add the cauliflower to the hot sheet pan, and spread it out into a single layer. Roast for about 20 minutes until tender and browned. Remove from the oven and cool.
- While the cauliflower roasts, mix the dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, Garam Masala, celery seeds, paprika, lemon zest and juice, and honey in a small bowl or spouted glass measuring pitcher that’s at least 2 cups. Whisk until smooth.
- When the caulifower is cool, transfer it from the baking sheet to a large mixing bowl, and add the apple, raisins, and parsley. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, and add more dressing to taste. It will probably need more salt and grin in some pepper. Chill for about 30 minutes, or up to overnight, before serving. the extra dressing is good on any lettuce salads.