Welcome back to the Fancy Fork, your seasonal produce insight and farm-style recipes that are made to satisfy.
February is the month of love – and football. You’ve got a mix of casual appetizers, elegant dinners, pink and red themed desserts, and chicken wings galore. But, in whatever you’re looking forward to most, there’s plenty of opportunity to incorporate seasonal flavors! For instance, maybe sauté some mushrooms to add into your cream cheese filling for the iconic jalapeno poppers. Or, maybe use grapefruits to add a fun twist to your Valentine’s date night crème brulee. Other seasonal produce includes passion fruit, pears, rhubarb, leeks, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, avocado, beets, radishes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots and cabbage.
This month, we’re focusing on the hidden powers of cauliflower. It’s rich in antioxidants, low carb, may help fight certain cancers and help with blood clotting, sulforaphane rich, helps with iron absorption, maintains estrogen balance, rich in Vitamin C and is great for the bones!
Crispy Honey Ginger Cauliflower Bites
Servings: 4-5
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 head Cauliflower, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 tsp. each: Black Pepper, Paprika & Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¾ cup Hot Water
- 1 T Olive Oil
- 1-2 T Fresh Ginger minced
- ½ cup Honey
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 T Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp. Flour
- Neutral Frying Oil
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder together.
- Place a deep saucepan over medium high heat. Add 2-3 T of a neutral frying oil. Heat up to 350F, or until glistening.
- Add the hot water and whisk until smooth. The batter should be silky and thick like cake batter; add more water as needed.
- Add the chopped cauliflower into the bowl and toss until very well coated in the batter.
- Working in small batches, fry the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes, until crispy and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to place on a paper towel lined plate.
- (Optional) After frying all the cauliflower, work in small batches once again to deep fry them a second time for 1-2 minutes for extra crispiness.
- Set the cauliflower aside.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and minced ginger. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the soy sauce, honey, flour and sesame seeds. Whisk until flour is absorbed by the liquids.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the fried cauliflower to toss until well coated in the sticky sauce. Enjoy warm!
