Have I ever mentioned that I hated vegetables when I was little? I really did. From all the different kinds of veggies all I would eat was green pepper, corn, fresh pea, cucumber, carrot, and sometimes lettuce. Of course I hated when my mom wanted me to eat some other type, which wasn't very often, as she didn't like veggies that much either. So each time when she would make for example fried cauliflower for the family she would also make something else for me to eat.
I'm not sure when exactly this attitude toward veggies changed, but I can assure you that now I make one of the best veggie soups I know (with all kinds of not-on-the-list veggies). Plus I also love the cauliflower which I wouldn't put into my mouth couple years ago. I changed the recipe a little and don't deep fry it, but bake it instead - this way I can decide how much (if any) oil I wan't to use.
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower
2-3 eggs
1-2 cups of flour (any type you prefer)
1-2 cups of breadcrumbs
little oil (or none at all, absolutely up to you)
Directions:
First thing I do is to cut the cauliflower and cook it in water on stove top, no more than 5-10 minutes after boiling.
When done, strain all water and prepare flour, eggs (with pinch of salt), and breadcrumbs.
Now I coat each piece of cauliflower first in flour, then in beaten egg, and in the breadcrumbs. Then I set the piece aside and do the same with the rest of the cauliflower. When I have all pieces ready for baking I prepare the baking dish (could be regular baking tin or a glass one). I always use parchment paper, that way I don't need to use any oil and the cauliflower won't stick to the surface. Usually, however, I use a little vegetable oil. I bake the cauliflower 20 minutes in the oven preheated to 370F, then I take it out of the oven, turn each piece upside down and bake it for another 20 minutes. This can be repeated one more time if you wish to have the cauliflowers nice and golden-brown.
Baked cauliflower is great when served with cooked potatoes. Enjoy!
