Warm Quinoa Salad

Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan. Cut the cauliflower into small florets about 3 cm across. Peel the red onions and cut each one into 8 wedges through the root, so the layers hold together. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat them dry with kitchen paper. Patted dry, the chickpeas crisp in the oven; left wet, they steam.

Toss the cauliflower, onions and chickpeas with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the cumin, the smoked paprika, 1 tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Spread them out in a single layer over 2 large baking trays, leaving space between the pieces.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the vegetables and swapping the trays over halfway through, until the cauliflower is tender and browned at the edges, the onions are soft and the chickpeas are crisp.

Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a sieve under the cold tap for 30 seconds to wash off its bitter coating. Put it in a medium saucepan with 450 ml of the water and half a teaspoon of salt, and bring to the boil.

Cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and each grain shows a little white tail. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork and put the lid back on to keep it hot.

While the quinoa cooks, make the dressing. Squeeze the lemon and finely grate the garlic. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, the garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt. It will seize into a thick, grainy paste at first; whisk in the remaining 50 ml of water a spoonful at a time until it turns smooth and pale and pours like double cream.

Roughly chop the parsley. Put the spinach in a large, wide serving bowl and tip the hot quinoa over it. Leave it for 2 minutes so the heat wilts the leaves, then toss them together.

Add the cauliflower, onions and chickpeas to the bowl with half the parsley and half the dressing, and toss gently. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper.

Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and the rest of the parsley, and crumble the feta over the top, if using. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and serve warm.