Cauliflower flan
November 20, 2012 • Category: Main Dish
Thanksgiving caught me off guard this year, I guess geographical location has something to do with it (duh!); feeling a tinge of guilt I decided to partake with one of the recipes in my upcoming mini-Iraqi cookbook.
This is real easy to make, provided you have either a charlotte pan or a round pan with high edges (at least 4 inches tall). Briefly steam the cauliflower florets, assemble the flan in minutes in a food processor and bake it; perfect to make ahead and present on Thanksgiving Day as your side dish contribution.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
INGREDIENTS: 6 servings
Pan used is a charlotte pan, 4″ deep and 7″ wide
• 6 cups of cauliflower florets
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs or 3/4 cup of corn flakes unsweetened
• 1 cup of milk or light cream
• salt, white pepper
• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1/2 tsp of paprika
• 3/4 cup of grated Swiss cheese (or any yellow cheese)
• 1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 tbsp of butter (or oil)
METHOD:
1. Break up the cauliflower florets from the cauliflower; boil (or steam) for about 5 minutes in salted boiling water until tender but still firm. Drain and set aside. Cool for 15 minutes, then take half the florets and mash or puree in a food processor or a food mill.
2. Grease a charlotte or deep cake mold (with sides at least 4″ high) and line the remaining cauliflower florets in the bottom of the mold making sure to cover the entire bottom surface so that no gap is visible. Melt the butter in a skillet and fry the onion over medium-low heat for ten minutes until translucent and golden. Transfer the onion to the mashed cauliflower florets in the food processor bowl. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
3. Add the eggs to the cauliflower and onion mixture; add the cream or milk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and cumin and paprika and cheese; process for a few seconds till the mixture is rather smooth and all the elements are well-mixed.
4. Gently pour the cauliflower custard mixture over the layer of florets into the pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Invert the pan onto a serving platter and serve immediately.
Comments
22 Comments • Comments Feed
Rosa says:
What a great idea¨This flan is beautiful.
Cheers,
Rosa
On November 20, 2012 at 9:59 am
Marc Osten says:
This will be on my table tonight. I adore chou-fleur and look forward to following your lead…but as I suspect you would do yourself, I am already imagining all kinds of ways to build on the beautiful canvass you’ve you laid out for me. I’ll report back for sure! 🙂
On November 20, 2012 at 11:17 am
vagabonde says:
That sounds delicious! I like cauliflower a lot and often make a cream of cauliflower soup. I’ll try this flan. My trainees from Algeria or Dubai, can’t remember which country, used to make a fried cauliflower then serve it with a sauce and it was very tasty, you may know the recipe?
On November 20, 2012 at 11:26 am
Joumana says:
@vagabonde: this dish you are referring to is most likely Lebanese and is called arnabeet wtarator; I posted it a couple of times on the blog https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2012/02/cauliflower-salad-arnabeet-w-tarator/
or https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2009/01/cauliflower-fritters-with-tarator-sauce/
orhttps://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/03/cauliflower-with-tarator-sauce/
each one uses the same sauce, but the first one you don’t fry the cauliflower, the second you do, the third you roast them
@Marc: Looking forward to the update!
@Banana wonder: it is coming out in 3 months (I think) but initially it is going to be in Arabic
On November 20, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Susan says:
What a beautiful dish, Joumana! I love cauliflower and I am adding this to my To Try list! I think I’ll have to buy a charlotte pan now 😉
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
On November 20, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Belinda @zomppa says:
Love this way of serving cauliflower! It’s so beautiful.
On November 20, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Banana Wonder says:
Best T-Day dish ever! I tried to make something like this a few weeks ago but didn’t come out to the best finish – I am trying it again with your recipe. Looks so beautiful! Cool about the cookbook, too! When is it coming out?
On November 20, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Hélène (Cannes) says:
Il a l’air délicieux. UNe bonne idée pour utiliser ce légumes qui est en ce moment sur tous les étals.
Bisous
Hélène
On November 21, 2012 at 12:16 am
Priya says:
Mindblowing flan, incredibly tempting.
On November 21, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Joan Nova says:
I love this! Pinning!
On November 21, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Nadji says:
j’ai déjà mangé des gratins de choux-fleurs mais jamais de cette façon.
Il est magnifique. Bravo!!
J’espère que ton livre sera traduit en français, sinon pas grave, je me remettrai à l’arabe.
A bientôt
On November 21, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Chloe says:
I love how the finished dish looks like a head of cauliflower! Can’t wait to try it.
On November 21, 2012 at 7:25 pm
jules says:
oh my word…does this look delicious !
On November 21, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Nuts about food says:
Belated Happy Thanksgiving back to you!
On November 23, 2012 at 2:22 am
Kathy D. says:
Where is the cheese in the instructions?
On November 26, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Joumana says:
@Kathy: You add the cheese along with the spices and egg; sorry I missed it and thanks for pointing it out! 🙂
On November 27, 2012 at 12:41 am
DEVAKI @weaveflavors says:
I don’t think I have ever seen a cooler recipe that takes on a cauliflwoer. You rock!
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
On November 27, 2012 at 3:48 pm
domi says:
Un peu comme un gâteau…
On December 12, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Joelle says:
This turned out yummi. I served it to my one year old twins and they loved it. I will try it with broccoli too soon. Thank you for sharing!
On April 7, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Joumana says:
@Joelle: so glad to hear this! 🙂
On April 7, 2013 at 10:24 pm