The humble cauliflower

I guess I always had mixed feelings about cauliflowers-I think it was that they only ever came served with cheese, under a blanket of creamy bechamel -whilst a match made in heaven for the cauliflower it was not for a vegan!  It has taken me a while to see cauliflowers as a vegetable of peace and quiet beauty with it's snow white head.
They are generally not easy to grow, but we are lucky here that anything we seem to plant grows and flourishes-but what to do with them then?  I have finally found a way to cook them that I enjoy-a fried cauliflower with salsa verde!  Inspired by Nigel Slater.

a medium cauliflower
sunflower oil for deep frying
gram flour -3 tablespoons
paprika or chili power-half a teaspoon

Salsa Verde:
Parsley leaves-a generous handful
mint-lots!
basil leaves-a handful
garlic-2 cloves crushed
Dijon or a similar grainy mustard -a tablespoon
capers-1 tablespoon-rinsed
olive oil-6 table spoons
lime or lemon juice-2 tablespoons

Break the cauliflower into florets.  Boil in deep salted water for a couple of minutes and then drain thoroughly.
To make the salsa verde, chop the herbs quite finely, the stir in the garlic, mustard and capers.  Pour in the olive oil slowly beating with a fork.  Stir in the lime or lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper.  Be generous with the seasoning, tasting as you go.  It should be bright and piquant.
Get the oil hot in a deep pan.  Toss the cauliflower with the gram flour, a little salt and pepper and paprika.  When the cauliflower is coated, fry it in the hot oil till crisp-three or four minutes.  Drain on kitchen paper before serving with the sauce.