Serve this dish as a starter with the cauliflower warm or at room temperature. The cauliflower is cooked ‘al dente’ and then charred to create a nutty umami flavour. Please, if you have them, include a few of the cauliflower leaves. They are fantastic when charred slightly. The grapes provide a sweet muskiness but if you can’t get really good black grapes, you could substitute raisins soaked in port or brandy until they plump up. The star of the show is the faintly metallic, tangy blue cheese*. The blue cheese works perfectly with the sweet, nutty tasting cauliflower and the sesame oil dressing brings this salad together with deep savoury notes and spikes of chilli.
*I used Saint Agur, a creamy French cheese from the Auvergne but any good soft blue cheese will work here.
Ingredients (per person)
8 - 9 florets of cauliflower
5 - 6 black grapes, halved
30g blue cheese
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Lemon juice
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Salt to taste
Method
*I used Saint Agur, a creamy French cheese from the Auvergne but any good soft blue cheese will work here.
Ingredients (per person)
8 - 9 florets of cauliflower
5 - 6 black grapes, halved
30g blue cheese
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Lemon juice
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Salt to taste
Method
- Simmer the cauliflower plus some of its leaves in water until ‘al dente’. This should take approximately 10 minutes.
- Drain and the cauliflower and allow to dry out. Place cauliflower on a baking tray or skillet and grill (broil) until the edges brown and begin to char.
- To make the dressing, place the mustard and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk with a fork until it amalgamates. Add the sesame oil, olive oil and chilli flakes and whisk until thickened. Add salt to taste.
- Add the still warm cauliflower to the dressing and turn to coat each floret.
- Tear or cut the blue cheese into bite sized pieces.
- Arrange the cauliflower, cheese and grapes on a plate and drizzle with any remaining dressing
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Look at that gorgeous blue cheese. Nicely done 
).