Roasted cauliflower and radicchio salad

Serves 4

Plain boiled cauliflower can be one of the blandest of vegetables. But there's so much more you can do with the beautiful white flowery heads. Look around the world, and you see it deep fried, curried and blended in a soup with raisins. Here I've boiled and roasted it, and taken inspiration from Italy by serving it with radicchio, the bitter leaf that brings a blast of colour and flavour to winter salads. You could also use the skinnier treviso, which is in season too and makes a good contrast with the leafier radicchio.

1 small head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 head of radicchio, root removed, washed and dried
2tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the dressing

1tbsp raisins covered in hot water and soaked overnight
1tbsp good quality red wine vinegar like cabernet sauvignon
4tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7. Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, drain and run briefly under the cold tap to cool. Simmer the raisins in the water they have been soaked in until the liquid has almost evaporated. Stir in the vinegar and olive oil and season.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a small roasting tray in the oven, cut the cauliflower into rough 1cm chunks and season. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown, basting and turning every so often with the oil, then remove and leave to cool.

To serve, arrange the radicchio on plates with the pieces of cauliflower and spoon over the dressing.