Gosh, it’s crazy hot here in LA, and will continue to be for the next few days or weeks. I can’t even stand to stick one toe outside right now. I have the window shades pulled all the way down and my AC blasting on HIGH! I feel like I’m living in a modern age cave, and I like it. With the house cooled down to a comfortable 70 degrees my appetite is in full swing and since I’m a prisoner to my home, why not make something delicious? Cauliflower Rellenos are just the thing to make me happy.
I treat my cauliflower rellenos the same way I care for my chile rellenos, by preparing a spicy tomato sauce that pours over the top. To elevate the experience I grate a little cheese and sprinkle it on until it’s reached melty-bliss, serve with some rice or a few avocado slices and you’ll surely be in vegetarian heaven.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Rellenos:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 – small onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 – guero chile
- 1 – tablespoon flour
- 1/2 – teaspoon salt
- 1/2 – teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 – 29 oz. can tomato sauce
- 29 oz. water
- 1 – can el pato spicy tomato sauce
- 1 – teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 – large cauliflower
- 7 – eggs, separate yolks from whites
- 2 – cups vegetable oil
- 1 – cup pepper jack cheese (grated)
Directions:
To make spicy tomato sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and guero chile and cook until tender about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Cook for 1 minute then add in tomato sauce, water, el pato, and garlic powder. Let sauce simmer on low while you make the cauliflower rellenos.
Cauliflower Rellenos Prep:
- Rinse and dry cauliflower.
- Remove stem from cauliflower and cut the florets into 2 inch pieces.
- Flash boil the cauliflower in boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Drain and dry. Place cauliflower on a large platter and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium flame.
- While oil is heating, prepare egg mixture.
- In a mixer, add egg whites and whisk on high until peaks form about 5 minutes.
- Add egg yolks to egg whites and stir lightly until combined.
- Dip cauliflower pieces into egg mixture and then place in the hot oil. Fry on each side until egg is golden on the outside about 7 minutes.
- Remove cauliflower from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Serve on a plate, then ladle the top with spicy tomato sauce and sprinkle with two tablespoons of grated cheese.
- DELICIOUS!
