Saltbush-braised cauliflower with macadamia chilli oil

Here, saltbush butter melts into purple cauliflower florets, bringing an earthy, coastal flavour, while the chilli oil drizzled over the top provides fire and attitude. Sultanas add sweetness, lime zest brings sparkle and pickled onion cuts through it all. It’s a dish that’s humble yet bold.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

This cauliflower dish is a love letter to one of my very first creations: my macadamia chilli oil. I still remember the day I first made it; the kitchen filled with the smell of roasted macadamias, chilli and garlic – a scent so good it could stop traffic. It adds heat, crunch and a silky nuttiness that makes everything taste magical.

Ingredients

• 1 red (Spanish) onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ½ tsp ground pepperberry
• ½ tsp dried saltbush
• 1 purple cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets
• 2 tbsp macadamia chilli oil (see below)
• 1 tbsp finely grated lime zest
• 2 tbsp sultanas

Saltbush butter glaze

• ½ cup (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp dried saltbush
• ½ tsp ground pepperberry
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Macadamia chilli oil

• ½ cup macadamia nuts, toasted
• 1 French shallot, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp chilli flakes (see Note)
• ¼ cup rice bran oil

Standing time: 15 minutes.

Instructions

1. For the macadamia chilli oil: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the macadamias, then add the shallot, garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. Toss well. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, then pour into the mortar and mix well. This will make more than you need for this dish; store extra for later use (see Note).
2. For the cauliflower: Combine the onion, vinegar, pepperberry and saltbush in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to soften and take on a tangy bite.
3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a simmer. Add the cauliflower and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain well and return to the saucepan.
4. To make the saltbush butter glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the saltbush, pepperberry, paprika, garlic powder, soy sauce and hot sauce. Whisk until combined and aromatic. Pour the saltbush butter glaze into the large saucepan on top of the cauliflower and toss to coat.
5. In a hot frying pan or under the oven grill (broiler), sear the glazed cauliflower for 3–5 minutes, or until the edges are slightly charred.
6. Arrange the cauliflower on a platter. Drizzle with the macadamia chilli oil and sprinkle over the lime zest, sultanas and pickled onion to serve.

Note

I like to use Turkish chillies (Aleppo peppers) for the macadamia chilli oil. They have a perfect balance of spiciness, but don’t blow your head off. Store oil in an airtight jar in the pantry unopened for up to 1 year. Once opened, store in the fridge for up to one month.

This is an edited extract from Native Ingredients Every Day by Nornie Bero (Hardie Grant Books). Photography by Rochelle Eagle.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.