Cuisine Eric

Tossing together some veggies and chick peas and roasting on a sheetpan is a way to get a flavorful vegetarian meal on the table fast. 1 head cauliflower, cut in flowerets, about 4-5 cups 2 carrots, cut into large matchsticks 1 15 oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise Cauliflower roasting sauce: 1/4 cup mayo 1 Tbsp almond butter 1-2 Tbsp rice vinegar - enough to make saucy 1 tsp Kasmiri chili 1/2 tsp each of:      coriander      turmeric      fenugreek      cardamom      salt Serving Sauce: 1 Tbsp lemon juice 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic palmful parsley palmful cilantro Preheat oven to 400F (convection) or 425F normal. Blend together the serving sauce ingredients in a small food processor.   Set aside in a small bowl. Whisk together the roasting sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.    Toss the cauliflower, carrots and chick peas with the roasting sauce in a large bowl.  Turn out onto two oiled rimmed baking sheets, shaking to spread the cauli

This is a vegetarian curry inspired by Jamie Oliver who makes some of the best curries around. 2 Tbsp ghee or melted butter 1 tub firm tofu, drained and cubed 1 Tbsp favorite curry powder 1 Tbsp garam masala 1 sweet yellow onion, diced 12 oz fresh butternut squash, diced (I used Trader Joe’s crinkle cut) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced 1 15 oz can coconut milk (I used Trader Joes coconut cream) 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small flowerets, about 3-4 cups 1/2 cup cooked black lentils (I used Target Life Balance) - optional In a large non-stick skillet, brown the tofu in ghee or butter until beginning to brown, about 5-7 minutes.   Add the curry and garam masala and cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion and butternut squash in a dash of canola oil.    Cook until the squash begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

During our last visit with our son Kip, who lives in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, we cooked at home and prepared a fully flavored roasted cauliflower dish with lovely Alice. This is a riff off of the Buffalo cauliflower and blue cheese dish from the State Bird Provisions cookbook - we enjoyed the State Bird Provisions restaurant with Kip and Alice during our prior visit, and I bought them the cookbook as a housewarming gift.  The recipe in the book instructs to deep fry a batter dipped cauliflower, and that was just over the top for what we were prepared to do that night, so we modified. Alice selected a delicious, relatively soft blue cheese which added the perfect flavor accent to offset the zing of Buffalo sauce. 1/4 cup favorite Buffalo sauce 2 Tbsp butter, melted 1 small head cauliflower, cut into flowerets 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 1/2 red Bermuda onion, peeled and sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup favorite blue cheese, crumbled

Cauliflower and tofu fold together with spinach, salsa and cheese in a creamy gratin.  For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta and substitute finely diced onion or shallot. 4 cups cauliflower flowerets 1 tub firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves 1/4 cup fresh salsa 1/4 lb favorite hard cheese, finely diced 1/4 cup pancetta, finely diced 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced 4 fresh sage leaves, minced Sauce: 2 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup white flour 2 cups milk Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss the first set of ingredients together in a big bowl. Make sauce: melt the butter in the oil in a sauce pan.  Add the flour and whisk together until frothy and bubbly.   After about 3-4 minutes, it should smell nutty.   Add the milk and whisk together.   Whisk often as the sauce thickens.   Season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold the sauce into the veggie mixture in the large bowl.   Tip mixture into a large oi

Roasted Buffalo cauliflower needs a bit of sweet and I used Thai sweet chili sauce to do the job.  Fantastic. 1 large heat cauliflower, cut into bite-sized flowerets Sauce: 1/2 cup buffalo wing hot sauce 1/2 stick butter, melted 2 Tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced Preheat oven to 425F.  Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Toss with cauliflower in a large bowl and turn out onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast cauliflower about 20-30 minutes, turning once, until browned and crisp tender. Serves 4 as a side dish. Cook's Note:  I doubled this recipe to serve a crowd - easy peasy, just use two sheet pans.