Mock Breaded Cauliflower

My mother was way ahead of her time when it came to vegetables. Sitting on a chair in the kitchen, watching her clean and trim a head of cauliflower, I knew that if I waited patiently I would be offered a treat: a freshly sliced chunk of the core of the cauliflower, also known as the heart. Nutty and mildly sweet tasting with a satisfying crunch, the fact that it was healthy and nutritious was completely beside the point. When roasted cauliflower became the darling of the culinary world, it came as no surprise to me.

Mock Breaded Cauliflower

Eyal Shani, the famed Israeli chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, may be singularly responsible for an international obsession with roasted cauliflower. Invited to his business partner’s house for Shabbat dinner several years ago, he was served a whole cauliflower simply roasted in the oven. Shani was smitten with this novel preparation of cauliflower and began thinking of ways it could be improved. By boiling small, compact heads of cauliflower in salted water, rubbing them generously with olive oil and coarse sea salt, and quickly roasting them at high temperature, Shani was able to draw out an intoxicating creamy tenderness from this modest cruciferous vegetable. Today, Shani has designated cauliflower farmers in the Negev region growing a special variety of cauliflower for his exclusive use. His restaurants serve diners up to 15,000 orders of roasted cauliflower monthly.

Current trends aside, I’ve always had a weakness for breaded cauliflower, my mother’s go-to preparation for this vegetable. When I came across this recipe for mock breaded cauliflower by the creative and talented cookbook author Miriam Pascal, in her impressive cookbook Real Life Kosher Cooking, I knew that I was on to something big. Baked in the oven, these golden brown nuggets of crunchy, garlicky cauliflower have all the appeal of the fried version of this recipe and none of the mess or calories. Mock breaded cauliflower has a standing reservation at my Shabbat table almost every week.

Assemble your ingredients. Preheat oven to 425 F. and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower, oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss the mixture to coat the cauliflower well. Add the panko breadcrumbs to the mixture and toss again. Beat the egg lightly with a fork and add to the cauliflower mixture. Stir well to coat the cauliflower pieces and distribute the egg evenly. 

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the cauliflower into a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. The cauliflower should be a light golden brown and slightly crispy when done.

Print Recipe

Mock Breaded Cauliflower

Vegetables and Sides

By Miriam Pascal, Real Life Kosher Cooking – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 40 minutes

Golden brown nuggets of crunchy, garlicky cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, broken into florets, or 24 ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets, defrosted
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with a fork

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 425 F. and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower florets, oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss the mixture to coat the cauliflower well.

3

Add the panko breadcrumbs to the mixture and toss again. Beat the egg lightly with a fork and add to the cauliflower mixture. Stir well to coat the cauliflower pieces and distribute the egg evenly. 

4

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the cauliflower into a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. The cauliflower should be a light golden brown and slightly crispy when done.

Notes

Reproduced from "Real Life Kosher Cooking" by Miriam Pascal with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll / Mesorah Publications, Ltd.