You may remember my fried cauliflower frenzy over the summer, where I mentioned that I had a second recipe to share down the line. Well, the time has arrived. The brightness of the lemon in this recipe is the perfect antidote to everything winter.


You'll be making your own crumb mixture with toasted bread, cornflakes, lemon zest, salt and thyme leaves.


A few tips:

  • The crumb mixture freezes well. You can make a big batch, freeze in an airtight container (or zip-top bag) and use as needed.
  • Resist the urge to bake instead of fry. I generally hate frying, but I tested this one many times in different ways and it really needs to be fried.
  • Do not use flour for the breading. Some people like to do a layer of flour, then egg, then crumbs, when breading things, but in this case it makes the breading peel right off the cauliflower. As long as you pat the cauliflower dry before dipping in egg, it will work perfectly with just the egg and crumb.

Fried Cauliflower Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cornflakes
  • 4 slices white bread, toasted
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 heads cauliflower
  • 2 eggs
  • oil, for frying

Directions:

  1. Place cornflakes, toasted bread, thyme leaves, lemon zest and salt into a food processor and pulse into a crumb.
  2. Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets. Wash and check for bugs. Pat dry. (Consult with your local kashrut authority for the status of cauliflower in your region, and the best way to check it.)
  3. Beat the eggs in a bowl.
  4. Dip each piece of cauliflower into the egg mixture and then into the crumbs. Place the pieces on a plate or baking tray until all the pieces are coated.
  5. Heat oil in a pot and fry the cauliflower in small batches until golden. The cauliflower should be cooked through inside, and the crumbed exterior golden and crunchy. If the outside gets too dark before the middle is cooked through, you need to lower the temperature of the oil.
  6. When ready, remove the cauliflower nuggets from the pot and place on a paper-towel lined plate or pan.
  7. Serve immediately, plain or with tzatziki sauce (recipe below).

Tzatziki Ingredients:

  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 3 Lebanese cucumbers, grated and drained
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed dill, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. honey

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours so the flavors can meld.