Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”
Vegetarian or not, frying cauliflower and slathering it in tangy, buttery buffalo sauce is a fun way to eat.
Ingredients
FRIED CAULIFLOWER
- 1 lrg head cauliflower, 2lb/1kg
- 2000 g/mL water
- 250 g or 1c white vinegar
- 50 g or 2 3/4Tbsp salt
- 20 g 1 2/3Tbsp sugar
- 500 g or 2c buttermilk
- 40 g or 3Tbsp hot sauce
- 350 g or 1 3/4c ap flour
- 350 g or 2 1/4c rice flour
- 7 g or 1 1/4tsp salt
- 7 g or 1.5tsp baking powder
- 5-6 g or 2tsp black pepper
- 5-6 g or 2.5tsp paprika
- 2-3 qt or 2ltr high smokepoint oil, canola, grapeseed, etc – amount depends on pot size
BUFFALO SAUCE
- 300 g or 1 1/8c hot sauce, i use Frank’s
- 20 g or 1 1/4Tbsp worcestershire
- 15 g 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- 115 g/1 stick butter, cold, cut into chunks
- Xanthan gum, verrrry small pinch
BLUE CHEESE (See Buffalo Chicken Sandwich video)
- 75 g or 1/3c buttermilk
- 60 g or 1/4c sour cream
- 15 g or 1Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ clove garlic
- 10 g or about ¼ of a rinsed shallot
- 5 g or 1tsp salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 300 g or 1 1/3c neutral oil, light olive, avocado, canola, etc
- 100 g or 3.5oz blue cheese
BUTTERMILK RANCH
- 75 g or 1/3c buttermilk
- 60 g or 1/4c sour cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 g or 3 1/4tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 clove garlic, peeled
- 25 g or 2.5tbsp shallots, chopped, rinsed
- 5 g or 1tsp salt
- 300 g or 1 1/4c neutral oil, like canola or light evoo
- 10 g or 3 1/4tbsp fresh chives, minced
- 10 g or 3 1/4tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
FRIED CAULIFLOWER
- Remove most of the cauliflower core. Cut into about 2”/5cm chunks, keeping stem and floret on each piece. Place cut pieces into a large container.
- Heat a saucepan on the stove over high and add water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and stir to dissolve. When liquid is at a boil, pour over the cut cauliflower. Use a lid or another container to be sure cauliflower is fully submerged in the liquid. Allow to marinate for 1 hour.
- Drain off liquid and transfer to cauli to a tray. Dry slightly with towel.
- Into a medium/large bowl, add buttermilk and hot sauce. Stir to combine.
- In a second large bowl, add flours, salt, baking powder, black pepper, and paprika. Whisk to combine.
- Add in about half of the cauli to the dry bowl and toss to coat. Transfer pieces to a tray and repeat flour dredge with second half of cauli.
- Add half of the dusted cauliflower into the buttermilk mixture. Toss to coat. Transfer back into the dry dredge bowl. Toss to coat. Transfer to a tray and repeat with second half of cauliflower.
- Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed container. I use 2-3 qt oil in my 6.75qt dutch oven until oil reaches about 350F/175C.
- Gently lower about half of the breaded cauliflower into the oil using a spider or long spoon. Allow to fry for about 1 minute then gently stir to be sure nothing is stuck together. Fry for about 3 more minutes or until breading is golden and firm. Repeat with second half of cauliflower.
- Transfer to a wire rack to drain. In batches, transfer to a bowl and drizzle over buffalo sauce. Toss to coat. Serve.
BUFFALO SAUCE
- Add hot sauce, worcestershire, and garlic to a small saucepot over medium high heat and stir. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low to reduce by about half.
- Reduce heat to low add in butter and whisk constantly until melted and emulsified.
- Off heat, whisk in a tiny pinch of xanthan gum.
BLUE CHEESE (See Buffalo Chicken Sandwich video)
- Add all ingredients except cheese and oil to high sided container.
- Blend with immersion blender.
- When combined, slowly stream in oil until emulsified.
- Add about 50g (or ½ of the blue cheese) and blend until it’s mixed into the dressing.
- Add another 50g (or less if you don’t LOOVE blue cheese) and stir into dressing.
BUTTERMILK RANCH
- Measure buttermilk, sour cream, egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, salt into a high-sided container.
- Spin the mixture with an immersion blender then slowly add the oil while continuing to blend.
- Add herbs and stir to combine.
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