There are so many gastronomic goodies arriving in delis and supermarkets these days I found Auckland’s annual Food Show in August the ideal place to catch up. This year there was a definite focus on health, including the ever popular gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo, and, amongst many other delights, turmeric — the trendy spice and superfood that is purported to have long-term restorative benefits. My interest was piqued by Alice Shepherd of Angel Foods who 11 years ago decided to “go vegan”. Suitable dairy-free and vegetarian cheeses were not available in New Zealand so she imported them from the UK. Then, three years ago she began developing her own range of tasty cheese sauces and parmesan prepared from a chickpea and cornflour base plus a mozzarella from yellow split pea protein. These locally made products are ideal for nearly all recipes that use regular cheese. I made this dairy-free, gluten-free cheese sauce with diluted coconut milk.
Trim the cauli of its major leaves. Cut the base so the cauli sits flat. Place in a large microwave-proof bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove and place in a small baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper.
Bake for about 50 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Place the dry cheese sauce mixture in a microwave-proof bowl. Gradually, whisk in the dairy-free milk, until smooth. Cook in the microwave for about 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir every minute.
To serve, drizzle a little of the sauce in lines over the cauli letting it form a pool in the baking dish. Garnish with capers and oregano leaves.
See more of Jan's recipes inspired by the 2015 Food Show
