At The Inn at Bay Fortune in eastern PEI, Chef Michael Smith prepares vegetable-forward dishes featuring produce from the inn’s expansive culinary farm. For this addictive snack, smooth, white cauliflower purée and chickpea flour make gluten- and dairy-free yet memorably crisp fritters. Broccoli is puréed into a bright-green sauce with lots of mellowed garlic.
Cauliflower Chickpea Fritters
Michael Smith's recipe for crispy cauliflower and chickpea fritters served with a bright garlic broccoli sauce.
Ingredients
Broccoli Garlic Sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 head garlic cloves removed and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 head broccoli cut in florets, tender stems finely diced
Cauliflower Chickpea Fritters
- 1 head cauliflower cut in small florets, tender inner stems chopped
- 2 cups chickpea flour
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp hot pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
- handful broccoli flowers for garnish
Instructions
Broccoli Garlic Sauce
- In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic; reduce heat and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is softened but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water and salt, and bring to a boil. Add broccoli. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until bright green and tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer to high-speed blender and purée until smooth. Use immediately or transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Gently reheat before serving.
Cauliflower Chickpea Fritters
- In saucepan, combine cauliflower stems, 1 cup florets and 1½ cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cover and cook until vegetables are mushy, 10 minutes. Transfer to food processor and purée until smooth. Add chickpea flour, curry powder, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, hot pepper flakes, salt and baking soda. Process until combined; transfer to bowl. Stir in remaining cauliflower florets until evenly coated in batter.
- In large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until deep-fryer thermometer registers 375°F. Using 2 spoons – the first to scoop the batter, the second to release it – gently drop spoonfuls of batter into oil. Adjust heat to maintain temperature of 365°F.
- Working in batches, fry fritters, gently stirring and flipping them with a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel; lightly season with salt.
- Serve fritters with broccoli garlic sauce and garnished with broccoli flowers.
