Cauliflower Fritters
Ingredientes
Although it is not as popular a vegetable in Malagueno cooking as chard or cabbage, cauliflower has held, now more than ever, an important place on the stoves of Malagueno homes and restaurants. It can be cooked in many different ways: boiled, battered and fried, or made into creams and purees.
The recipe below comes from the inventiveness of people in the inland towns, who swapped out the classic salt-cod fritter for cauliflower instead. Although in times of scarcity salt cod was food for people with few resources, since it was cheap, there were even more needy households that could not afford even a piece of dried cod and used cauliflower florets in its place instead. It makes a perfect hot appetizer.
Instructions
Traditionally, cauliflower has been boiled in a pot of salted water, but nowadays steaming this vegetable saves time and leaves it with less water in it once drained.
Heat water in a pot and set a steamer basket on top, where you will place the cauliflower broken into small florets. Cover and steam for 25 minutes. Once cooked, leave to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the chopped fresh parsley. Once the cauliflower has cooled, dip each floret in the egg mixture and then coat it in flour.
Heat oil in a frying pan and, once very hot, fry the cauliflower florets, setting them aside on paper towels once golden brown all over.
Curiosity
A few years ago, well-known “superfoods” (goji berries, spirulina, chia seeds…) took centre stage in healthy diets as a replacement for processed carbohydrates, but their high cost and limited availability have opened the door for other, more affordable everyday foods with just as many nutritional benefits. Dietitians consider cauliflower one of those superfoods thanks to its strong nutritional profile and how easily it fits into all kinds of dishes.
It is curious how accepted this vegetable has become nowadays, when not so long ago it was looked down upon for the smell it gave off while cooking; now this “new” superfood is rich in potassium, calcium, folic acid and vitamin K, making it ideal for regulating bodily fluids, supporting cell and tissue growth, and helping with blood clotting.
