Mary and Brian's Recipes

Fried Cauliflower with Tahini, Labneh, Baba Ghanoush
Category Appetizers, Sides
Events:
Ingredients
Labneh: 2 cups Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons quality extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chiffonade flat leaf parsley 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1 teaspoon ground sumac 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 lemon, zested Tahini Dipper: Rice or GMO-free canola oil, for frying 1/3 cup tahini 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground Kosher salt Baba Ghanoush: 2 globe eggplants (about 3 pounds total), skin slit a few times with the tip of a knife 1/2 cup tahini 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 teaspoons ground sumac Zest and juice of 1 lemon Kosher salt Cauliflower: 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets 1/2 teaspoon ras el hanout 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoon chiffonade flat leaf parsley Kosher salt Pita chips, homemade or store-bought, for serving
Method
For the labneh: Place the yogurt in a couple layers of cheesecloth and tie with butcher's twine, creating a ball. Tie the cheesecloth to a spoon or utensil over a bowl to let any excess liquid drain. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight. For the tahini dipper: Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F. Combine the tahini, lemon juice, coriander and cumin with 1/3 cup water in a food processor and blend. Season to taste with salt. For the labneh: In a small bowl, combine the oil, parsley, sesame seeds, sumac, thyme and lemon zest, creating your homemade "zaatar" oil. Place the labneh in a pretty bowl, then create a divot in the middle. Spoon the zaatar oil in the divot and over the top. For the baba ghanoush: Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is blackened and all sides are soft, about 15 minutes. Place in a bowl until cool enough to handle. Cut off the tops and cut the eggplants in half. Spoon out the flesh, separating it from the burnt skin. In a food processor, combine the eggplant, tahini, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, sumac and lemon juice until smooth (reserve the zest for the cauliflower). Season to taste with salt. For the cauliflower: Fry the cauliflower until brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss in a bowl with the ras el hanout, turmeric, parsley, lemon zest and salt. Serve with the tahini dipper, baba ghanoush, labneh and pita chips.
Rating: Unrated