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Cauliflower Salad with Pickled Grapes, Cheddar Cheese and Almonds

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Ingredients
  

For the Pickled Raisins and Grapes:

  • 2 cups green grapes, halved), divided
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ¾ cup, plus 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar, divided
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-½ tsp. sea salt
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

For the Salad and Dressing:

  • 2 heads cauliflower, divided
  • 3 to 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 5 tbsp. lemon juice, divided
  • 1-½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese, crumbled, divided
  • 1 tsp. stone ground mustard
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup walnut oil or substitute with olive oil
  • 1 tsp. crème fraîche, sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped, or toasted slivered almonds

Instructions
 

To prepare the pickled raisins and grapes:

  • Preheat the oven to 450° F.
  • Put 1 cup of the halved grapes in a heatproof bowl; set the other cup aside for later.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the raisins, 3/4 cup of the white wine vinegar, honey, bay leaf, sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Bring to a boil, over high heat; reduce to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has reduced by half.
  • Pour the hot liquid over the grapes in the heatproof bowl; set aside to allow the liquid to cool completely to room temperature.
  • Cut 1-1/2 heads of cauliflower into small-ish florets.
  • Save the other 1/2 head; later, you'll shave it into the salad, to eat raw.
  • Toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, season with plenty of salt and pepper, and put on two parchment-lined baking sheets, making sure there's plenty of breathing room for the florets.
  • Place in the pre-heated oven and roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is crispy-skinned and quite dark.
  • Remove from the oven; add 2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the cauliflower on the baking sheets and 1/2 of the cheese, distributing among both pans.
  • Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese has melted into a mess on your parchment-lined baking sheets.
  • Remove cauliflower from the oven and immediately stir it with the melted cheese so that the florets are coated and almost no cheese streaks remain on the parchment paper; don't allow the cheese to congeal; set aside.

To prepare the viniagrette dressing:

  • In a salad dressing container, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice with remaining 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar.
  • Whisk in mustard.
  • While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the oil.
  • When mixture is creamy and emulsified, whisk in the crème fraîche.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble and serve the salad:

  • To a large serving bowl, add the reserved grape halves and reserved crumbled cheese.
  • Take the remaining 1/2-head of cauliflower and shave it with a mandoline into the bowl.
  • Add in the cheesy roasted cauliflower.
  • Strain the pickled raisins and grapes and add to the bowl.
  • Add the chopped almonds; mix all together.
  • Finally, dress the salad with the lemon vinaigrette, going slowly as to not overdress.