Moroccan-Style Shaved Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
This raw cauliflower salad, with its crunch and vinegar-forward dressing, has a slaw-like spirit but with a Moroccan-style twist. It's perfect for cutting through the richness of heavy meat dishes, like lamb, but works just as well as a light vegetarian lunch for 2-4.
Toast the nuts. In a dry medium skillet over medium heat, add the shelled pistachios. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop and set aside.
Make the dressing. In a large salad bowl, combine the white wine vinegar and honey. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Whisk in 2 teaspoons ras el hanout, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper (it may seem like a lot of dressing, but the chickpeas soak it up).
Prep the cauliflower. Trim off the cauliflower’s thick base and discard along with the leaves. Use your hands or the tip of your knife to break them into large florets. Slice the florets as thin as possible–ideally no thicker than 1/8-inch, preferably using a mandoline.
Mix and rest. Add the shaved cauliflower (and any tiny florets or crumbs of cauliflower) to the bowl with the dressing, along with the chickpeas and scallion white parts (reserving the dark green parts for serving). Toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 3 hours) to allow the flavors to meld.
Assemble the salad. Before serving, gently fold in the pistachios, remaining scallions, dried apricots, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle the surface of the salad with a generous amount of black pepper and ras el hanout. Serve immediately.