Extra Crispy Spicy Fried Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a winter vegetable, which is easy to prepare as an appetizer side dish. Cauliflower, cavolfiore in Italian, is commonly available in supermarkets and produce markets all over Italy. In south Italy they like to fry all sorts of food, and cauliflower is no exception. Although some cooks prefer to prepare a thick breading or crust, this recipe makes a much lighter cauliflower. No heavy breading that is dripping in oil, just a quick dip in beaten egg and (optionally) a dusting of flour before popping the cauliflower into the frying pan to brown on all sides. 

Extra Crispy Spicy Fried Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml milk
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
• 1 teaspoon dried origano
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced parsley
• oil for frying.

Procedure:

1. Rinse cauliflower head under cold water to remove dirt. Cut the cauliflower florets from the center, leaving short stalks. Discard the heart at center.
2. Pour an inch of water into a large pan or pot and place a steamer insert into the bottom. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cover, steaming the florets for about 10 minutes. They should be firm, not soft or soggy. Remove from pan and drain. Allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic, parsley.
4.  In a large zip-lock bag, mix flour, pepper, origano, paprika, and cayenne.
5. Mix your cauliflower florets with flour mixture. Shake until all pieces are evenly coated.
6. Remove your florets one at a time, shaking excess flour and dip each piece in the egg mixture. Return to bag of flour, then and shake to coat. Set all coated florets on a plate until ready to fry.
7.  Heat oil in deep skillet . Drop each floret into the hot oil, frying for 5-7 minutes, turning once.
   
   
   Recipe adapted from Lisa and Tony sierra