Cauliflower Schnitzel
Back in the day one of my favourite dishes was ‘chicken’ schnitzel which my mum deliciously made using chicken breast coated in golden breadcrumbs and fried in a whole heap of butter.
Have recently had the craving for something very similar, I tried my hand at making ‘schnitzel’ using a variety of plant-based fillings (tofu, mushrooms, tempeh) but came to the conclusion that thus far, the best ingredient to recreate this dish is CAULIFLOWER hence I wanted to share with you my recipe so you too can enjoy.
Just FYI I know there are many ready made plant-based ‘schnitzel’ type dishes out there, which is a great alternative for convenience, however I personally don’t like to eat too many processed foods hence love cooking up my own using fresh whole ingredients!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower, remove leaves and keep to one side
Panko breadcrumbs (gluten free breadcrumbs work well too)
1/4 cup cornflour or arrow root or gluten free flour as thickening agent
1 tsp truffle oil
Pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional but gives the dish a lovely smoky taste)
Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional if you like a little heat. Add more if you like more heat!)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp mixed Italian herbs
Oil for frying (I use sunflower oil)
Method
Pre-heat oven to 190C/380F
Slice 4 thick chunky slices of cauliflower to create the ‘fillet’
In a large mixing bowl add the ‘flour’ with 1/2 cup of cold water and whisk until it becomes a smooth paste (not too thick or too thin)
Add the truffle oil, herbs, spices, S&P and mix well
On a flat piece of baking paper or foil, spread out some bread crumbs and add some S&P
In a large frying pan, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm on medium heat
Gently dip each piece of cauliflower into the flour mix so it is coated well on both sides, before coating with the breadcrumbs and lay in frying pan
Cook each side of the cauliflower for 5 minutes before turning over and cooking for another 5 minutes, until both sides are golden brown
Place the cauliflower of baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes
Serve with lentil salad and new baby potatoes.
Top Tips to REDUCE FOOD WASTE!
Use the left over cauliflower ‘bits’ and leaves to make a soup
Keep the flour mix in an airtight container to be used within 3 days if making other dishes that need coating. Simply add a little cold water to soften the mixture up.
Enjoy!