Cookaholics Bulletin Board

This recipe from Ottolenghi's "Plenty More" looks awfully good for us lovers of anything cauliflower.

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Cauliflower Cake Epicurious | October 2014

by Yotam Ottolenghi
Adapted from Plenty More


Yield: Serves 4 to 6
ingredients

1 small cauliflower, outer leaves removed, broken into 1 1/4-inch/3-cm florets (1 pound/450 g)
1 medium red onion, peeled (6 ounce/170 g)
5 tablespoons/75 ml olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
7 eggs (scant 1 pound/440 g)
1/2 cup/15 g basil leaves, chopped
1 cup/120 g all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric
5 ounces/150 g coarsely grated Parmesan or another mature cheese
Salt and black pepper
Melted unsalted butter, for brushing
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds

preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes, until the florets are quite soft. They should break when pressed with a spoon. Drain and set aside in a colander to dry.

Cut 4 round slices off one end of the onion (each 1/4 inch/5 mm thick) and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest of the onion and place in a small pan with the oil and rosemary. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer the onion to a large bowl, add the eggs and basil, whisk well, and then add the flour, baking powder, turmeric, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper. Whisk until smooth before adding the cauliflower and stirring gently, trying not to break up the florets.

Line the base and sides of a 9 1/2-inch/24-cm spring-form cake pan with parchment paper. Brush the sides with melted butter, then mix together the sesame and nigella seeds and toss them around the inside of the pan so that they stick to the sides. Pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly, and arrange the reserved onion rings on top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set; a knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the oven and leave for at least 20 minutes before serving. It needs to be served just warm, rather than hot, or at room temperature.
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Sounds interesting. Of course, I have a 9" and 10" springform pan, and have never seen a 9 1/2" pan.

--Lisa

Lisa,

I think he's converting from British sizes. Yes ... the original recipe just says 24cm. I'd use the 9-inch, assuming it's deep enough; it's somewhat closer to the original size (24cm = 279sqin; 9" = 254sqin; 10" = 314sqin)

Linda, I returned plenty more, but I had seen this recipe before and copied to my Living Cookbook with some adaptations, e.g. roasting the cauliflower instead of boiling, etc. Look forward to hearing what you think. There is a version on Smitten Kitchen as well.