AIR-FRIED CAULIFLOWER WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS AND TAHINI SAUCE

Posted in Air-Frying, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This is a winning combination that I urge you to try whenever you find fresh pomegranates to play with. In our neck of the woods, it’s not always available. I prefer to buy the pomegranate seeds in those little jars because I am not too fond of the work needed to extract them from the fruit. Yes, I am familiar with all the tricks, but in this particular case, I opt for the easy way out.

AIR-FRIED CAULIFLOWER WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS AND TAHINI SAUCE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower, florets only
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt to taste
pomegranate seeds

for the tahini sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup water to adjust consistency (you may need less)

Coat the cauliflower florets with the oil, season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Place in the air-fryer at 390F or as high as your fryer goes. Cook the florets until they start to get brown at the edges, shaking the basket every once in a while. While the cauliflower fries, make the sauce.

Mix all ingredients for the sauce (except the water) in a food processor and process until smooth. It will be very thick. Slowly add the water, until you get to the consistency you like.

Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle the sauce all over and sprinkle pomegranate seeds, as many as your heart desires.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I adore cauliflower and I am crazy for tahini. It was odd that it took me so long to put both together. If you don’t have pomegranate seeds, kalamata olives will work well for the contrast of color and that sharp flavor. A shower of black sesame or Nigella seeds could be great too. Anything to give some contrast to the cauliflower-sauce duet. Because our air-fryer is small, when I made this recipe there were no leftovers. Actually I did have extra sauce that was drizzled on all sorts of goodies for a couple of days. If you want to make this dish for company (or if you do not own an air-fryer), go for oven-roasting, 425F works like a charm. It just takes longer and the texture won’t be as crispy.

ONE YEAR AGO: Pistachio-Rose Donuts

TWO YEARS AGO: Smoked Chocolate Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Celebration Cake

FOUR YEARS AGO: Incredibly Simple Times Four, May 2018

FIVE YEARS AGO: Tangential Quiche with Asparagus and Fennel

SIX YEARS AGO: Fakebouleh

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Yellow Squash Soup

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Grilled Chicken with Tamarind and Coconut Glaze

NINE YEARS AGO: Chicken-Apricot Skewers

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ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Two-stage Pea and Prosciutto Risotto

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Mellow Bakers: Corn Bread

9May2022

CAULIFLOWER WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This is cauliflower that deserves a spot at your table when you have special guests for dinner. Amazing that we can now write such a phrase after a couple of years of social isolation. I go as far as saying that even cauliflower haters will be pleasantly surprised. The sun-dried tomatoes add richness and the olives and balsamic vinegar that acidity that lightens things up. Absolutely delicious. And, by the way, it is vegan-friendly.

CAULIFLOWER WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND OLIVES
(inspired by Crossroads)

1 head cauliflower, florets only, chopped in pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil (for oven roasting) or olive oil spray for air-frying
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
slivered almonds, slightly toasted, to taste

If roasting the cauliflower in an oven, drizzle the florets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in 425F oven for about 30 minutes. If using the air-fryer, spray the florets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and air-fry for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Reserve. The cauliflower can be roasted hours in advance or even the day before.

Put a large saute pan over medium-heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the celery and shallots, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers and cook for a few minutes longer, stirring often. Add the reserved cauliflower, the balsamic vinegar, adjust seasoning. Right before serving, add lemon zest and juice, and top with the toasted slivered almonds.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I don’t know which ingredient elevates this recipe, it is a tight match between the sun-dried tomatoes and the green olives. At any rate, it was an outstanding side dish. I highly recommend it. We enjoyed it with grilled chicken breasts, super simple. Just a marinade with olive oil, Garam masala and salt.

ONE YEAR AGO: Curry Sourdough with Sesame Seeds

TWO YEARS AGO: Chocolate-Crusted Passion Fruit Tart

THREE YEARS AGO: Lemony Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Almonds

FOUR YEAR AGO: Savory Oatmeal with Bacon and Cheddar

FIVE YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Carrots, Two Ways (most popular post on my blog!)

SIX YEARS AGO: Five Minutes in L.I.T (a tour of our laboratory!)

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Thighs with Artichokes and Capers

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Pea Pancakes with Herbed Yogurt

NINE YEARS AGO: Mushroom Stroganoff

TEN YEARS AGO: Tomato Sourdough

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Gamberetti con rucola e pomodori

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Flirting with Orzo

2Dec2021

CAULIFLOWER-CHICKPEA PICCATA

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I saw this recipe not too long ago at The New York Times and knew I was going to love it… I wasn’t sure how the husband would feel about it, but decided to take my chances. Glad to report he thought it was “totally blog-worthy.”

CAULIFLOWER-CHICKPEA PICCATA
(slightly adapted from The New York Times)

1 cauliflower, cut into large 2-inch florets
grapeseed oil, about 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
3/4 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Parsley, chopped

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cauliflower florets onto a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, and roast for 25 minutes, add the chickpeas and roast for 5 minutes more. Reserve.

Heat a medium skillet to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the shallot, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour the stock into the pan and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then stir in the butter, capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper.

To serve, place the cauliflower and chickpeas on a serving plate. Top with the lemon caper sauce. Serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The preparation of this recipe goes a bit against logic. Why roast the cauliflower until it’s all crispy and brown, and then soak it with sauce? Seems counterproductive. BUT it works. Roasting concentrates the flavors and make the veggies stand better to the luscious lemony sauce. We loved it! For vegetarians, a little couscous on the side would make it a pretty nice meal. We enjoyed it with grilled pork tenderloin and a bit of tahdig rice, made in my favorite, quick way. A great mid-week dinner…

ONE YEAR AGO: Sarah Bernhardt Cookies

TWO YEARS AGO: A Really Big Announcement

THREE YEARS AGO: Stir-Fried Chicken in Sesame-Orange Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Monday Blues

FIVE YEARS AGO: A New Way to Roast Veggies

SIX YEARS AGO: Two Takes on Raspberries

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EIGHT YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

NINE YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

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30Jul2021

CHIPOTLE-HONEY CAULIFLOWER WITH MANGO SALSA

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Cauliflower is a unique wild card in the kitchen. When you want to low-carb anything, it is the first option that comes to mind. Well, here we have an exception, this is no low-carb, low-calorie recipe. This is cauliflower for the brave. When we finished our meal, the husband said “this may very well be the best cauliflower I’ve ever had.” I would like to bow and get a crown or at least a nice tiara, but all credit must go to Joanne. She raved about it, and when she raves, I cook.

CHIPOTLE-HONEY CAULIFLOWER WITH MANGO SALSA
(slightly modified from Joanne Eats Well with Others)

for the chipotle honey sauce:
1 can chipotle chiles in adobo (about 7 oz)
1 cup barbecue sauce (homemade or store-bought)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 cup bourbon
juice of 1 lime

for the cauliflower:
1 large head of cauliflower
1 cup flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups panko breadcrumbs

for the mango salsa:
3 ripe mangoes, diced
1 large avocado, diced
¼ cup cilantro, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
juice of 1 lime
salt, to taste

Combine the chipotles, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, and lime juice in the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely smooth.

Heat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Break the cauliflower into larger florets. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, milk, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until thick and completely smooth. Pour the panko into a separate bowl.

Toss the cauliflower florets into the wet batter in batches, making sure they are completely coated. Next, transfer them to the panko bowl and coat them completely in the panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the chipotle honey bbq sauce. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set and soak into the florets.

Make the salsa. Combine the mangoes, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Season with lime juice and salt, to taste.

Serve the cauliflower over rice with the salsa on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Moderation is key, but tricky. Something about the crispy texture of the panko coating joined with the spicy sweetness of the barbecue sauce turns this into dangerous stuff. The mango salsa does a perfect job cooling things down, which in turn makes that moderation advice even harder to listen to. You’ve been warned. This was majorly amazing. Sorry for the superlatives. It is all Joanne’s fault.

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20Dec2020

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & CHICKPEAS WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

A long time ago I decided that a blog cannot have too many cauliflower recipes. Once I made peace with that decision, bringing yet another version to this virtual spot became easier and easier. So here I am. Playing with one of my favorite veggies once again.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKPEAS WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
(from thebrookcook)

14 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and dried
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
coarse salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain seeded mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400ºF, preferably on convection roast.

Toss the chickpeas and cauliflower florets together on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet or in a large roasting pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Roast, stirring now and then, until everything is dark brown and the cauliflower is quite soft, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the mustards, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, or to taste. While the chickpeas and cauliflower are still warm, toss them with the mustard dressing and the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I bet you are wondering why two kinds of mustard, and what if you only have one kind? Use what you have. I happen to have both because we love mustard. I imagine that if you use full whole-grain it could be a bit too harsh. But whatever you choose to do, this is a real keeper of a side dish. Both chickpeas and cauliflower have that earthy, almost funky nature, and the acidity of the vinaigrette does a beautiful job tying them together. Leftovers were great two days later, barely warmed in the microwave.

Josette always shares amazing recipes in her blog, so I invite you to visit her site and browse around. I made this one just a few days after she published it, and repeated it the following week because we loved it so much.