Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Now HERE is a new one!  Making a wheat-free pizza crust from cauliflower, egg and cheese.  If you are gluten-intolerant or just have a cauli to use up, this is an intriguing idea.  You won't get the same texture as a bread crust but it is worth trying.  My sister makes a flour-free souffle using pureed cauliflower, so this is on the same lines.  First, you have to blitz a raw cauliflower in a food processor until it looks like rice - you can include some of the stalk, too, which is a bonus.  Steam the cauli over a little water for about 6 to 8 minutes, then cool.  Now, for each 10" base, you need a cup of cooled cauliflower, half a cup of grated cheddar and an egg.  Mix together well and season with lots of pepper - you don't need salt because of the cheese.  Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, and set the oven to a high 220C.  Spread the cauli mix out to a rough 10" circle and spray with a little olive oil (or brush lightly with oil using a pastry brush).  Bake for 20 minutes until brown and set.  Now top with your favourite pizza toppings (don't go mad, and be stingy with the cheese, given the amount in the crust) and bake again until the topping is done to your liking.  Serve asap.  This isn't a low-fat option but is a good way to get loads more veg into kids - don't tell them it is cauliflower!  Tasty too, and certainly a novelty.  I found you can make the base in advance and it reheats really quickly with the toppings on, but it is a bit more fragile than a wheat base, so not easy to pick up in large wedges - hence my advice to not over-load it with toppings.

Coconut Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

I have been scouring the interweb for ideas for cauliflower, as we have been getting a lot in our veg boxes.  Although I love cauliflower cheese, it is an occasional treat because of all the dairy!  So, curry is the next best friend of a cauliflower.  I know I've done a few takes on the curry theme lately but this was a particularly nice variation, based on a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall dish from his excellent River Cottage Veg Every Day book.  He chops and fries an onion, some garlic and some fresh ginger, but I always like to puree them in a mini chopper first.  To this mix, add 2 teaspoons each of ground coriander and cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, a teaspoon of garam masala, a pinch of asafoetida (optional, but it helps counteract the natural sulpherous tendencies of cauliflower) and a teaspoon of hot chilli flakes (or to taste).  Fry this paste in a couple of tablespoons of sunflower or rapeseed oil for about 3 or 4 minutes, then add 200 ml of water and a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes.  Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper and then add a tin of drained, rinsed chickpeas.  Simmer this for 20 minsutes or so.  Meanwhile, break a large cauli into florets, put in a pot, cover with cold water and salt and bring to the boil.  Allow to boil for around 30 seconds, drain and add to the curry 10 minutes before the end of cooking, along with a 200ml tin of coconut milk or cream.  Once the cauli is tender, but not breaking up, stir in some chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve in a big bowl with lots of naan bread, chapattis or rice.  This serves four and comes in at well under a fiver.

Saag Aloo with Spiced Roasted Gobi

This recipe is based on a recipe from the Hairy Bikers, and the easiest thing to do is to link to their original recipe.  A couple of variations: the cauliflower was tossed in a teaspoon of garam masala before roasting, and the Saag Aloo curry had a base of pureed onion, ginger and garlic, as well as a sliced onion - this gives a thicker finish to the dish.  I also used all cauli, as I didn't have any romenesco to hand.  I don't think it diminished the overall result!  This was utterly delicious, the cauliflower being transformed by the roasting and retaining its texture and interest without being water-logged.  Definitely under a fiver too.  Yummy with simple boiled basmati rice.

Roasted Cauliflower

When asked what I was doing for tea tonight by a colleague, I was looked at as if I'd finally gone loopy-la-la when I said I was roasting a cauliflower.  But seriously, if you haven't tried this way of cooking it, you will be surprised at how nice it is.  The basic recipe is simple: cut said cauli into evenly-sized florets - not too big - and lay in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Now, juice half a lemon, crush a clove of garlic and mix together with a tablespoon or so of olive oil.  Spoon over the cauli, making sure each piece has some of the lemony oil on.  Season with salt and pepper, and roast in a hot oven (200C) for 20 minutes or so until nice and brown.  Have ready a tablespoon or so of freshly grated parmesan, and sprinkle over the florets as they emerge from the oven.  Tuck in.  A great, light alternative for cauliflower cheese, which is too heavy for this time of year.  You can vary the seasoning by adding some of your favourite spices - garam masala, maybe, and also a little smoked paprika is good too.  Always use the lemon juice, though, as it really makes the dish.

Majorcan Cauliflower and Leek Soup

I got this recipe from a blogger in Majorca called Immaculada - it uses white bread to thicken the soup rather than potato or flour, which is a very 'Spanish' thing.  Cauliflowers are excellent at this time of year, and the leeks are nearing the end of their season, so are coarse, but very flavourful - best used in soup.  You'll need:
2 large leeks and an onion
1 large cauliflower
3 or 4 cloves of garlic
A thick slice of good quality white bread - crusts removed
4 tablespoons olive oil plus extra to serve
Sweet smoked paprika to serve
a Litre of either veg or chicken stock
So simple to make.  Remove the green tops from the leeks, wash well and slice finely.  Peel and finely chop the onion.  Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the leek and onion over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.  Whilst this is happening, remove the leaves from the cauli, break into florets and slice the stem thinly.  Add to the leeks and onion, along with the peeled garlic cloves, and allow to sweat, with the lid on, for a good 15 minutes.  Don't let the vegetables brown.  Now, make breadcrumbs from the thick slice of bread - it should be a good inch thick slice. Or just tear it into small chunks if you can't be bothered to get the processor out.  Add to the veg with the hot stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes.  Blend with a hand blender or in a processor.  Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and plenty of black pepper (or white, if black flecks in a white soup bothers you!).  This soup tastes best served warm rather than hot - garnish each bowl with a good drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked sweet paprika.  Immaculada suggests chives too, but I only had a couple of spring onions - they added a nice fresh crunch.

Cauliflower and Chard Cheese with Ham

Cauliflower Cheese is such a comforting old stalwart, and I 'pimped' this one a little today with some chopped chard and little pieces of chopped ham.  A creamy cheese sauce, enlivened with a good 'poke' of hot English mustard, and cheesy breadcrumbs on the top make for a warming and tasty supper!

Aloo Ghobi [#206]

The first recipe from Anjum Anand for the Challenge - potatoes again, which have been a theme this week, with all the ice and snow around. So, basically a warm curry of potatoes and cauliflower, with onion, garlic and ginger, turmeric and ground coriander, and garam masala. I had no mango powder (erm...) so followed Anjum's suggestion of adding some tomato. I also added some more veg in the form of peas, sweetcorn and carrots to make a really substantial dish, to accompany some smoked haddock kedgeree. Loads of leftovers for lunch on Monday - warming, fragrant, wholesome, delicious, and dead cheap - I had everything needed in the house! Can't find Anjum's recipe online, but came across The Hairy Bikers' version on the Beeb, which was very similar, so here it is