garlichead
Über Member
I know using cauliflower sounds weird for falafel but we needed to utilize local ingredients as much as possible because that is who we are basically and cauliflower is in season, cheap and exceptionally gorgeous this year. After a few glasses of Gamay we started getting our mouths and brain to function better and needed a vegetarian dish and one that involved falafel, which was already decided and tried to shoehorn cauliflower into the equation. Anyway, that where it started..
Here's the entree: Cauliflower Falafel served with Pureed chickpea, Smoked Tomato & Black Olive Tapenade, Grilled Rappini, and Garlic Sauce.
I'll use 1 cauliflower as an example for approx. measurements of ingredients. I quarter a cauliflower and put on the gas flamed grill to cook and char and at the same time I'll also cut an onion in half and also char at the same time. Once they've cooled down I'll chop into smaller pieces and add the cauliflower only to the robot coup and reduce to small particles and because this was cooked dry there is no water residue and results in a bread crumb kind of consistancy. Now I'll add the onion to the robot coup and add 1/2 bunch each of parsley and cilantro, 1 egg, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts or slivered almonds then reduce to a paste more or less. In a bowl add this paste and the cauliflower and mix well. the glue so to speak is EVOO and a combination of chickpea flour and cornstarch to maintain a gluten free recipe. Adding the EVOO and cornstarch is a feel thing where it holds together without it being too wet. Basically that's it. We panko it in a 3 stage station, then deep fry.
For the pureed chickpea I sautee onion and garlic, then add white wine and reduce. Then add canned chickpeas, water, parsley and cook until chickpeas are cooked. Not much water is left at this point. I put this in the robot coup and puree adding tahini and extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste and normally some lemon zest and a little juice.
For the tapenade I smoke local roma's and use 7 of those to 750ml of Kalamata's and 250ml of capers and robot coup adding some EVOO to add body and lusciousness. Blanche and grill some rappini. The garlic sauce is basically house made mayo to which I add some sour cream, micro grated garlic and some lemon zest and salt to taste.
Sorry I don't have a recipe per se but we normally don't use recipes for the majority of entrees. I feel recipes are anti productive and generally don't inspire imagination enough for sustained growth as a cook. Saying that I obviously have standard recipes for certain things like swiss merengue et al. Cheers.
Here's the entree: Cauliflower Falafel served with Pureed chickpea, Smoked Tomato & Black Olive Tapenade, Grilled Rappini, and Garlic Sauce.
I'll use 1 cauliflower as an example for approx. measurements of ingredients. I quarter a cauliflower and put on the gas flamed grill to cook and char and at the same time I'll also cut an onion in half and also char at the same time. Once they've cooled down I'll chop into smaller pieces and add the cauliflower only to the robot coup and reduce to small particles and because this was cooked dry there is no water residue and results in a bread crumb kind of consistancy. Now I'll add the onion to the robot coup and add 1/2 bunch each of parsley and cilantro, 1 egg, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts or slivered almonds then reduce to a paste more or less. In a bowl add this paste and the cauliflower and mix well. the glue so to speak is EVOO and a combination of chickpea flour and cornstarch to maintain a gluten free recipe. Adding the EVOO and cornstarch is a feel thing where it holds together without it being too wet. Basically that's it. We panko it in a 3 stage station, then deep fry.
For the pureed chickpea I sautee onion and garlic, then add white wine and reduce. Then add canned chickpeas, water, parsley and cook until chickpeas are cooked. Not much water is left at this point. I put this in the robot coup and puree adding tahini and extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste and normally some lemon zest and a little juice.
For the tapenade I smoke local roma's and use 7 of those to 750ml of Kalamata's and 250ml of capers and robot coup adding some EVOO to add body and lusciousness. Blanche and grill some rappini. The garlic sauce is basically house made mayo to which I add some sour cream, micro grated garlic and some lemon zest and salt to taste.
Sorry I don't have a recipe per se but we normally don't use recipes for the majority of entrees. I feel recipes are anti productive and generally don't inspire imagination enough for sustained growth as a cook. Saying that I obviously have standard recipes for certain things like swiss merengue et al. Cheers.
And having read your description of the cauliflower falafel I'm wanting to try making it. Whether its really 'falafel' is another matter...