Day 8 of my 100 day food blog - what 1 cauliflower delivers!

One cauliflower, three delicious dishes.

​Today it is all about cauliflower.
I created the following 3 dishes from 1 head of cauliflower. To say I was flabbergasted is an understatement. I used the leaves, stalks and the cauliflower itself. I am finding it hard to pick out a favourite. The pilaff was a revelation in terms of flavours and also in quantity, would safely feed 6 people. Using the stalks with the florets of cauliflower has given the dish different textures. 
Using the leaves to create a side dish to go with maybe a nice piece of steak started out as a laugh, but boy has it delivered. Definitely one to use again. And the cauliflower buffalo bites with the ranch dressing will certainly rival the onion bhajis (see day 6) for a Friday night movie supper. The two together would be awesome.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with a Ranch Dressing.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with a Ranch Dressing.
2 portions

Ingredients:
8 florets of cauliflower.
1 tablespoon smoked paprika.
1/2 tablespoons ground cumin.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
A good pinch of salt.
100 grms of flour.
200 mls of buttermilk.
80 grms of hot sauce (try Franks Hot Sauce widely available in supermarkets) 
2 -3 tablespoons maple syrup.
1 tablespoon butter.
100 grams Greek yogurt.
3 tablespoons mayo.
chopped chives.
 2 tablespoons milk.

Method:

1. ​Turn the oven onto 220 cen & line a baking tray with parchment.
2. Into a bowl tip in the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, flour. Add the buttermilk.
3. Toss the cauliflower into the bowl & coat well. Place on tray & pop in oven for 20mins. You probably will have some batter over, you can do more cauliflower or if you want to mix it up you could use some chicken strips.
4. Put the hot sauce in a pan with the maple syrup & butter & simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove cauliflower from oven & liberally brush with the hot sauce & put back in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. To make the ranch dressing mix Greek yogurt with the mayo, chives & milk.

Cheesy gratin of cauliflower leaves & leeks with brie .......

.......and a crispy hazelnut topping.

Cheesy gratin of cauliflower leaves & leeks with a hazelnut topping.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower leaves,chopped.
1 leek cleaned & chopped.
1 tablespoon oil.
2 tea.sp. Dijon mustard. 
1 teaspoon nutmeg.
125 mls cream.
4 slices of Brie.
75 grms Panko crumbs.
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon.
Handful chopped hazelnuts .

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan & sauté off cauliflower & leeks for 5 minutes.
2. Add mustard & nutmeg & season.
3. Pull off the heat & add 125 mls of cream. Transfer to a gratin dish, lay 4 slices of Brie on top.
4. Finish with a mix of Panko crumbs, lemon  zest & hazlenuts & scatter over.
5. Pop in a preheated oven @190 for 15 minutes.
6. Serve with pan fried steak, chicken or fish.

Harissa Cauliflower Pilaf topped with toasted almonds, dried cranberries & chopped fresh coriander.

​Harissa Cauliflower Pilaf.
Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
300 grms basmati rice.
1 red onion finely sliced.
2 lemons.
2 teaspoon sugar.
2 tablespoons harissa powder.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil.
 1/2 cauliflower broken into florets.
Cauliflower stalks chopped.
100grms of sultanas.
100 grms toasted almonds.
1 tin of drained chickpeas.
50 grms dried cranberries.
Chopped fresh coriander.

Stock infusion.
700 mls of vegan stock.
2 tablespoons harissa powder.
2 bay leaves 
Pinch of turmeric 

Method:​

1. ​Wash, rinse and leave rice to soak in cold water for 1 hour.
2. Put sliced red onion in a bowl with juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoon sugar & set aside.
3. Heat oven to 220 cen. Whisk 2 tablespoons harissa with the garlic & oil. Toss in cauliflower florets & place on baking sheet. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes until tender.
4. Heat the stock infusion and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove cauliflower from the oven & tip into a deep dish. Drain the rice & add to the cauliflower. Pour over the stock infusion, sultanas, 1/2 toasted almonds, & chickpeas.
6. Cover with a layer of tin foil & bake for 30-35 minutes until rice is cooked. Fluff up with a fork.
7. Add the rest of the toasted almonds, dried cranberries & chopped fresh coriander.

Organic vegan stock available in the health food section of supermarkets and specialist health food stores.