Spicy Cauliflower Fritters

Although there are several recipes for Cauliflower fritters or patties,  this is a little different.  The original recipe was in the Age and the recipe by Steven Manfredi.   It has a mild Middle Eastern flavour.

This is 1/2 the recipe , so can easily be doubled.  I shallow fried the patties and reheated in the Air Fryer.  The 1/2 mix made 12 small patties, 7x4 cm.  I served them with Sweet chilli sauce.

160 g cauliflower
60g plain flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of parsley ,
1 clove garlic
1/2  an onion
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 tablespoon of oil

Method
Cut cauliflower into small pieces
Steam cauliflower in Varoma until soft, ( 25 mins) set aside
Tip hot water out of bowl and rinse in cold water to cool bowl.
Add onion , garlic and parsley and chop, speed 5 for 10 seconds.
Add eggs, flour and spices and mix for 5 seconds.  Scrape down and mix, 2 seconds.
Add warm Cauliflower and mix on speed 5 for 2 seconds.  Mix should be a bit chunky.
Heat oil and fry until brown.  Flip and cook other side.
Remove and place on hand towel.

Greens with peanut sauce, Japanese style

Many green veggies are suitable for this dish.  The original recipe uses Watercress, but I used Broccolini.  Green French beans, Asparagus or even Spinach would work well.  Again it can be served as part of a Japanese meal or as a side to any dish.

2 small bunches of Broccolini,  or about 500 g of preferred green vegetable.
Steam in Varoma until tender.  With the Broccolini,  I first started with the stalks and added the green tips for the last 10 minutes.
While greens are steaming,  mix in a large bowl,
4 tablespoons of Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons Mirin

Tip hot veggies over the sauce and fold in with spoon until well coated.

Notes
This reheats well in the Microwave
Makes a nice meal with sushi  rice.

Spinach and Sweet-potato gratin.

Inspiration for this recipe is from Smitten Kitchen Blog. 
This gratin will serve 4.
It can be made GF by replacing the flour in the roux with cornflour'
It can be made dairy free by replacing the milk with Soy milk,  and leaving out the butter and cheese.
It is a tasty dish which can be served as a side dish,  or as a main with a salad.
It can be doubled.

Heat oven to 200 o C

Ingredients

1/2 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon of oil
300g.  of Spinach, OR  Silver beet,OR  Chard,  OR NZ Spinach, washed and drained.
250g Sweet Potato  OR Pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes.
300mls of milk
35 g flour
1 Tablespoon of flour.
3/4 cup grated cheese.
Nutmeg.
Fetta OR Ricotta , Optional
S and P to taste.
thyme.

Method

Drop Onion and garlic on to blades,  speed 5 / 5 seconds.  Scrape down and add oil.
Cook,  5 mins/Varoma/speed 2.
Add spinach, and saute, 3 mins./100/speed 1.
Add pinch of Nutmeg and zap 5 seconds.,
Drain and push out liquid.  Discard liquid.
Set aside.
rinse out bowl
Add Sweet potato , zap speed 5 /5 seconds .
Set aside
Wash bowl.
Add to bowl 300 mls milk, 35 g flour and butter, good pinch of nutmeg.
Zap at 5 to mix,
Cook 7 mins/ 100/ sp2/

Into a heat proof dish (17/19 cm ),  place a layer of Sweet potato. Use 1/2 the mix.  Dot this with Fetta or ricotta,  if using.
Add  1/2 spinach,  then remaining Sweet potato,  then remaining spinach.
Sprinkle a little fresh Thyme over.
Pour the white sauce over and spread to edges.
Sprinkle over grated cheese.
Bake in oven until brown on top, 35/45 minutes.

Chinese Mushrooms.

This is a very versatile dish.  It can be served as a side dish with grilled pork or chicken.
Add noodles and Bok Chow or spinach and it becomes a main vegetarian.
I am serving it tonight with Rice cooked in Coconut water, Grilled Pork Cutlets and silver beet ,  from the garden.

NEED
6 dried Chinese mushrooms , soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon of oil
3 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger.
200g.  fresh mushrooms, I used Swiss Brown.
1 Tablespoon of Hoisin Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Cornflour
1/2 cup of Chicken stock or water

DO

Add oil and ginger to TMX bowl and cook,  5 mins/ 100/sp 1.
Add fresh mushrooms and press  TURBO  for 3 short bursts. the mushrooms should be chunky.
Slice dried Chinese mushroom caps into thin strips and add to TMX bowl.
Add water or chicken Stock, Hoisin sauce and cornflour and cook, 100/ 10 min./ speed 1 / REVERSE.

EXTRAS
SOAKED NOODLES CAN BE FOLDED THROUGH COOKED MUSHROOMS

STEAMED BOK CHOY OR SPINACH CAN BE FOLDED THROUGH.

Spinach Burghul

Adapted from Stephanies new book...Kitchen Garden Companion.

1 cup course burghul
1 cup chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic
100g spinach leaves
S and P to taste
squeeze of lemon juice

Place garlic and chicken stock in T.M bowl, cook on varoma ,speed 2 for 5 mins.
Add roughly chopped spinach, and cook for 30 seconds on speed 4.
Zap on speed 7 for 1 min. with added lemon juice.
Add burghul and mix ,reverse 1 min.
Leave in bowl, covered for 15 to 20 mins.

I made this with mixed greens from the garden and it was a bit strong.
The next day we ate it cold as a salad and the flavor was better.
In future I would make it as a salad on the day before required.