Warm Salad of Roast Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Harissa with Sea Bass and Pomegranate

Having just got back from holiday with a little extra weight and currently working a lot of late nights in the office, I've been trying to find recipes that are not only speedy and simple but also do you some good...

This is based on a Nigella recipe from a few years ago in her 'Simply Nigella' book - I've changed the ingredients slightly and added sea bass to make it more of a main meal but otherwise it's pretty much the same - and I have to say I love it! I'm a big fan of roasted cauliflower and especially when there's spice involved and the fresh bursts of pomegranate seeds really perk it up. This is perfect when you want something on the table in around 30 minutes and it's absolutely delicious!

Warm Salad of Roast Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Harissa with Sea Bass and Pomegranate

Serves 2

½ head cauliflower

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp ground coriander

2 tsp cumin seeds

400g tin chickpeas, drained

2 tbsp harissa paste 

150g vine tomatoes

1 tsp sea salt flakes

4 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Large handful salad leaves

For the fish:

oil

3-4 sea bass fillets

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220ºC /gas mark 7/425ºF. Trim the cauliflower and divide into small florets. Pour the oil into a large bowl, add the cinnamon and cumin seeds, and stir or whisk to help the spices disperse. Tip in the prepared cauliflower and toss to coat. Pour the contents of the bowl into a roasting tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Don’t wash out the bowl you’ve been using just yet.

Add the chickpeas to this bowl, and add the harissa and toss to coat. Quarter the tomatoes and add them to the bowl, and shake or stir to mix. When the cauliflower has had its 15 minutes, remove the tray, quickly tip the chickpeas and tomatoes over the cauliflower, and toss to combine before returning to the oven for a further 15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. When it’s ready, remove from the oven and sprinkle the salt over the vegetables. Set aside while you cook the fish.

Put the grill on as high as it will go. Drizzle a little oil over the sea bass and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking tray, skin side up and grill for 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and the flesh cooked.

Divide the salad leaves between two plate and top with the cauliflower mix. Place the fish fillets alongside and scatter over the pomegranate seeds.