Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Walnuts and Gruyere

By lorik

You can make this kind of salad with almost any vegetable that won’t wilt or burn when subjected to a copious slick of oil and a blast of high heat. Broccoli, brussels sprouts, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, winter squash and rutabagas all work well. One of the best vegetables for this salad, though, is cauliflower. The florets turn juicy and tender in the center while crisping and browning around the edges, and cauliflower’s mild flavor is amenable enough to pair nicely with almost anything else you toss in the bowl.

Ingredients

• 1head1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 6tablespoons6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2teaspoons1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4teaspoon3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1tablespoon1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2bunches2 bunches watercress, large stems removed
• 1/4pound1/4 pound Gruyère, diced or grated (about 1 cup)
• 2/3cup2/3 cup toasted walnuts

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from NYTimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss together the cauliflower, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and dark golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar with the remaining salt and pepper, and then whisk in the remaining oil.

In a salad bowl, toss the watercress, cheese, nuts and warm cauliflower. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until well combined.