Monday, October 24, 2011

Cauiflower & Cheese Pancakes


I saw this recipe online somewhere and it really caught my eye. I love making (and eating!) cauliflower croquettes which are patties comprised of steamed cauliflower, bread crumbs, flour and olive oil and the addition of cheese in these pancakes were simply calling for me to make them. The recipe itself only requires a few minutes of prep time and after preparing them you can choose to cook them by either frying them or cooking them on a griddle. I opted for the griddle method this time but in the future I think I will stick to the traditional cauliflower croquette method and fry them in a little oil.

I paired this meal with some grilled chicken that I marinated in some teriyaki sauce. It was a simple dinner but it tasted delicious! It is one of those perfect dinners for those nights when you just really don't feel like cooking. 

Cauliflowers & Cheese Pancakes
Yield: Approximately 30 pancakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes     I     Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 flour
  • 6 ounces Velveeta cheese
  • 3/4 cup of water
  • salt & pepper to taste
Start off by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Breakdown the cauliflower into pieces, don't go crazy trying to chop it into tiny pieces just cut it small enough that it wont take forever to boil. Once it's cooked fully the cauliflower will break down into tiny pieces easily.

When the cauliflower is soft enough that a knife pierces it without any resistance drain the water and put all of the cauliflower into a large mixing bowl. 

Add in all of the ingredients and incorporate all of the ingredients by doing a mixing/mashing combination of technique. Try to breakdown the cauliflower as much as possible. The trick to this recipe is the measurements are really a guideline rather than an exact science. You will need to play around with adding more water or flour or breadcrumb until you end up with a batter that resembles a thick pancake batter. I usually make a quarter sized sample to test if it needs more salt or cheese or any of the other ingredients. 

This is really a good recipe to work on your skills at tasting as you go. The measurements will change every time you make it so you have to rely heavily on your own palate. Trust yourself and making it to your liking. This recipe also makes for a great appetizer if you make them a little smaller and kids love them since you can barely taste the cauliflower. 




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everything about these is fabulous. I can't eat it but that doesn't mean I won't stare in awe.

claire @ the realistic nutritionist said...

Wow these look INCREDIBLE!!!!

Christine's Pantry said...

Wow! Sounds wonderful.

Erin said...

What an interesting idea! I love cauliflower, these sound like a great side dish.