Crumbed cauliflower with aioli
I bought some cauliflower to use in the curry I was making on the weekend and of course I forgot to add it. Tonight I was looking at my very lonely looking cabbage in the fridge. What am I going to do with you?
I remember the way my mum used to make cauliflower. The kitchen door would always be closed if she was boiling it because the smell drove my father insane. Not sure why, it’s quite pleasant. Once it was cooked, however, he was the first in the kitchen.
Ingredients
half of cauliflower head, broken into smallish florets
2 eggs
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup plain flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tsp sea salt
garlic aioli
lemon wedge
oil for frying
- Cook the cauliflower florets in boiling water for 3 minutes. They should be tender but not overcooked or falling apart. Cool under running water.
- Whisk eggs in a bowl and stir in the cheese.
- Mix breadcrumbs, flour, pepper, salt and paprika in a deep plate.
- Heat up about 4 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. You want a thin layer of oil for shallow frying.
- While it’s heating up, start dipping the cauliflower florets in the egg mixture. Let the mixture drip off a little before coating individual florets in crumbs.
- Add crumbed cauliflower florets to the frying pan. Keep the heat on medium and fry on different sides until golden brown and crispy. Add more oil if needed. Once cooked, place on paper towel before serving.
- While the cauliflower is frying, make some aioli by mixing 3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise with one finely chopped garlic clove and some cracked pepper.
- Serve cauliflower with garlic aioli and lemon juice squeezed over the top. It’s great on its own or as a side dish with meat or fish.