Mon petit chou-fleur

It is about this time of year that I start to long for longer days and a glimpse of sunshine. Winter, be gone! In the kitchen, although I am still looking for comfort food as we slowly ease out of the darkness of this dreary season, I am also keen to try some fresh new tastes and to add some bright colours to my plate.

Well, I have just the thing for it. A comforting cauliflower, combined with juicy tomatoes, some spices and some citrus juice. It’s fresh, it has warmth and it is very different to any curry you will have ever tried before. Plus it’s all made in one pot so less washing-up!

Cauliflower & Tomato Curry
Adapted from Orchards in the Oasis by Josceline Dimbleby

Ingredients
1 medium to large cauliflower, cut into florets
500g plum tomatoes, peeled and quartered (method below)
4 tablespoons groundnut oil
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
4cm ginger, peeled and chopped
1-2 chillies, seeds and core removed, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of ½ lemon
Chopped coriander
Salt

Method

Heat the oven to 160 degrees.

Place the tomatoes in a pyrex bowl and cover them in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and peel. Cut into quarters.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan. Once hot add the spices and fry for about a minute, then add in the chilli, garlic and ginger. Fry for another minute. Add the cauliflower and coat with the spice mixture. Once the cauliflower is smothered in the spice mixture, remove from heat. Place the quartered tomatoes amongst the cauliflower.

Add the orange and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt. Put the pan back on the heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 50 minutes. Serve with some brown rice.

This post is dedicated to my Grand-Mamy

Done deal

So there you have it. I resigned from my job last week. I am stepping off the treadmill. After six years, nine months, two weeks. Most people leave for another job. I have decided to move to another country. To be with my very patient man and support him in his new business, The Ski Alternative, to start a new life, to discover my true path career-wise. I am going back to my roots, to the country where I was born, where I was brought up. It’s gone full circle.

Years ago, when I first moved to the UK, I never imagined that I would go back to Switzerland. My love affair with London was tumultuous, bank-breaking, yet rewarding, mesmerising, addictive. I was young, enthusiastic, restless. I am still young, but I feel calm now, wiser and realise that, after this amazing rollercoaster of a journey, where you are is not so important, who you are is.

I am incredibly excited by the new direction my life is taking, not least because I’ll be able to contribute to this blog far more frequently (I have to tell you about this amazing Cauliflower & Tomato Curry I discovered!), explore what makes me tick, pursue my interests, learn new skills. I also have a big project, very close to my heart, which I will be working on till the end of the year.

My daily commute will be in a cable car, going up the mountain. 10 minutes. At most.

Tell me about big decisions you’ve made. What made you take the plunge? Did it fulfil your expectations? Do you have any regrets?