5-Ingredient Baked Cauliflower Tots

Ingredients

• 2 medium heads cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup small diced onion
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a nonstick baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets to the water and cook them just until fork tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Thoroughly drain the florets and transfer them to a food processor. Pulse the cauliflower for a few seconds just until the it breaks down into small pieces.
3. Measure out 3 packed cups of the cauliflower and add it to a large bowl. Stir in the diced onion, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mixing until thoroughly combined. Using your hands, scoop up 1- to 2-tablespoons of the mixture and mold it into a tater tot shape. Place it on the prepared baking sheet and repeat the shaping process with the remainder of the mixture, spacing the tots about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake the tots for about 20 minutes then flip them and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until crisped. Remove and serve with ketchup, pesto, hummus or your preferred dipping sauce.

Crunchy Parmesan Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs 
• 3/4 cup finely ground Parmesan cheese 
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• marinara sauce for dipping
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Add panko and cheese to a large bowl and then mix together until thoroughly combined. Dip cauliflower pieces in egg and then roll in bread crumb mixture until fully coated and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You may need to press on the coating to help get it to stick to the cauliflower bites. Repeat until all cauliflower is coated.

2. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until coating is a dark golden brown and crunchy. Serve with marinara sauce.

PARMESAN CAULIFLOWER BITES

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Panko*
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Emeril's Essence; set aside.
3. Working in batches, dredge cauliflower in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
4. Add cauliflower to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Roasted Cauliflower with Red Chile, Cilantro & Lime

Ingredients

• 1 large head Cauliflower
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Red New Mexico Chile Powder (substitute Ancho Chile Powder if you don’t have Red New Mexico)
• 1/2 tsp crushed dried Red Chile
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds toasted and ground
• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/2 Lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F. Separate the florets from the Cauliflower.  Put them in a bowl with the garlic, chile powder, crushed chile, cumin, salt & olive oil and toss gently to mix together and coat well.

Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower (the one I used was at least 7″ in diameter
• olive oil for drizzling
• Few dashes garam masala (optional)
• 3 medium to large sized peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 7 cups filtered water

Method

First, preheat your oven to 400 °F and cut up your cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle cauliflower lightly with garam masala. Place cauliflower onto ungreased cookie sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven and let roast until golden brown on the tops and tender, but not mushy, about 20-30 minutes. There’s no need to flip ‘em. Just remove from oven and let cool while you cook the rest of the soup.

In large stockpot, bring sweet potato, onion, garlic and water to a boil. Salt (abt 3/4 tsp) and stir. Reduce heat and allow to remain at a constant simmer until sweet potatoes are tender. Add in cooked cauliflower and divide soup into 2 parts.

Let soup cool and then blend one part soup in blender until very smooth. Combine with second part soup and stir. Salt to taste and warm up over stovetop if needed.

Gobi Manchurian- Fried Cauliflower in Spicy Sauce

Ingredients 

For the Gobi Fritters

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Serrano chilli, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 fat garlic pods, minced
• 1 tsp dark soya sauce (I use Ching’s brand)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water (or as required to make the batter)
• Canola Oil for frying (or vegetable oil)

For the Manchurian Sauce

• 2 tsp dark soya sauce (I use Ching’s brand)
• 4 tbsp chilli- tomato sauce (I use Maggi Hot & sweet)
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp cornstarch +4 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp pure sesame oil
• 2 tsp ginger, chopped
• 3 garlic pods, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, white parts
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to tolerance)
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1.5 tbsp white vinegar (or to taste)
• For Garnish – chopped scallions(green parts)

Method 

Making Cauliflower Fritters

Cut the cauliflower florets into halves or quarters. Wash thoroughly under running water & let the water drain.

Meanwhile, in your fryer let the oil heat up. In a bowl, throughly mix all the ingredients listed to make a smooth batter . Dip the gobi florets in the paste and deep fry on low-medium heat till golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Set aside. (Tip :- Let the fritters stay warm in the oven while you make the sauce)
Note – I do not boil the cauliflower before frying. Do not fry the florets on very high heat else they will be raw from inside.

Making the Manchurian Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together soya sauce, tomato-chilli sauce & honey. Set aside. In another bowl, mix cornstarch & water and let stand.

In a wok/pan , heat up the oil to smoking hot. Add chopped garlic & ginger and cook for 1 minute or till you smell the aroma. Next add the chopped scallions (white part) & red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or till light brown in color. Add the coriander & turmeric powder next along with the soya sauce mix made earlier. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes  on medium-high heat or till you see bubbles on the sides.Next, add the cornstarch mix to the wok. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer for another 2-4 minutes till the sauce thickens.

Next, taste & adjust the salt in the sauce. Sprinkle the garam masala & vinegar to the wok and stir everything well.Remove from heat and add the fried cauliflower to the pan & (very gently ) toss so that the florets are evenly coated. Dont stir too much with spoon at this point, else cauliflower gets mushy.

Notes

• Substitute dark soya sauce with tamari.
• Adding tomato – chilli sauce adds extra heat, you can substitute with plain tomato ketchup of choice.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 lb 12 oz)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan (1 oz)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella (1 oz)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Topping:
• 1/2 Tbsp homemade or store-bought pizza sauce, or more or less to taste
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Desired toppings, such as fresh grape tomatoes, basil, oregano, olives, mushrooms etc.

Directions

Place a pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large piece of parchment paper with non-stick baking spray and set aside.

Wash cauliflower, cut off florets, dry thoroughly and add half of the cauliflower to food processor and process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Transfer chopped cauliflower to a microwave safe bowl. Add remaining cauliflower to food processor and again, process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add that cauliflower to bowl with other cauliflower (you should now have about 2 1/2 - 3 cups finely chopped cauliflower). Cover bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap and heat cauliflower in microwave 4 minutes on HIGH power. Pour cooked cauliflower onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool. Once cauliflower is cool enough to handle, wrap cauliflower in tea towel and wring moisture from cauliflower (about 1/3 cup or so).

Return strained cauliflower to bowl, add parmesan and mozzarella cheese, salt, egg, and garlic and toss mixture with your hands until evenly combined.

Pat mixture into an even round, about 11 to 12-inches, on prepared parchment paper (keeping it snuggly pressed together). Using a pizza peel, transfer crust on parchment to pizza stone in oven and bake 9 - 11 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce, mozzarella and desired toppings (if using fresh herbs, add them after cooking pizza). Return to oven and bake 5 - 7 minutes longer until cheese has melted and is slightly golden. Allow to cool several minutes then cut into wedges. Serve warm.