Salads with crunch by Cloud Picker

The coffee roasters’ new café on Dublin’s Pearse St is one to try. Here, Cloud Picker share the recipes for two delectable salads

You may know Cloud Picker for the delicious hand-roasted coffee, but after opening their first café, they’re standing out on the competitive lunch scene in Dublin.

Alongside the delicious coffee, there’s a great choice of options from salads to sambos as well as sweet treats.

What we love is that if you’re getting lunch to go, you can bring your own container for 25c off, to help the fight against single use packaging!

You can find the café at 42 Pearse St, and in the meantime, be inspired by these delicious salad recipes.

Roasted cauliflower and pickled leaves

Ingredients:           

• I head cauliflower with leaves    
• 2-3 tablespoons Irish rapeseed oil  
• 1 teaspoon  dried paprika          
• 2 cloves, minced fresh garlic 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin     
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes           
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
• 1 handful toasted almond flakes     
• 100 ml milk kefir 
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• 1 small one fresh chilli
• 1 handful fresh parsley
• Quick pickle ingredients 
• 1 cup vinegar            
• 1 cup water               
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt    
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional) 

Method:                                                                                                                                    

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the leaves off the cauliflower, wash them and set aside.
2. Break the cauliflower into small chunks, spread them out evenly in the roasting tin. Drizzle with Irish rapeseed oil and add minced garlic, dry spices and salt and pepper.                                                              
3. Roast your cauliflower for 25-30 mins, turning it a couple of times. You want a lovely golden colour, with a bit of bite and brownish edges.
4. While the cauliflower is in the oven get on to your quick pickle.
5. Boil all the ingredients until sugar dissolves and pour it on top of your washed and sliced cauliflower leaves. Leave to cool.                 
6. When both cauliflower chunks and leaves are cooled, combine them in a large bowl. Top them with toasted flaked almonds, chopped parsely and sliced red chilli.                                                                               
7. For final acidity and a bit of sweetness whisk some milk kefir (buy it in any Polski sklep or health food store) with honey and drizzle all over.

Asian Slaw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head white cabbage
• 1 large or 2 small carrots
• 1/2 bunch of radish
• 1 fresh fennel bulb
• 2 shallots or 1 red onion
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch coriander
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• handful of crushed peanuts, toasted

For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• zest of 3 limes
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 red chili including seeds

Method:

1. Simply shred all the ingredients. Easiest way is to use food processor, alternatively use the slicer side of your grater or simply use some elbow grease.
2. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a clean jam jar, close it and shake it. Dress the salad just before serving, followed by toasted sesame seeds and peanuts. Both undressed veg and the dressing will stay fresh in your fridge up to 3 days.