CAULIFLOWER HASH BROWNS
To quote American Chef, Jasper White, ‘Necessity made this recipe’. I was a man possessed when after a foodie friend, Georgie, who calls herself thelonebruncher, posted Cauliflower Hash Browns from Strong Roots to her Instagram account. I had to make my take on this cruciferous knockoff of the popular breakfast side to settle my hash. And did. Several times, actually. My first attempt was to replicate the stem tuberous de jure, and was quite successful; except, only if you have Baker’s hands like I do, and can feel relatively nothing at your fingertips – like hot oil for example – a trip to the ER was imminent. Some additional binders and the inclusion of Allium fistulosum for sulfury flavor bring thus the fruits of my compulsion.
Serve as you would potato hash browns. Although the recipe is ovo-vegetarian, I like topping my Cauliflower Hash Browns with vegan and plant-based ingredients. Garnish with Follow Your Heart® Sour Cream, topped with my Roasted Carrot Gravmox and Pickld Red Onions, jeweled with briny capers, as a morsure légère for brunch. These aureate rounds are also a tasty alternative to English muffins for Sausage Eggs Benedict using Lightlife Gimme Lean® Sausage adorned with folded scramble, blanketed in vegan hollandaise sauce made with JUST Egg, or, a Sausage, Egg and Cheese sandwich with Field Roast Creamy Original Vegan Chao Slices.
PREP/BAKE TIME: 36 Minutes
Makes 6 Hash Browns
INGREDIENTS
Vegetable Oil for Frying
Cooking Spray for Greasing
2 ½ Cups – Finely Chopped Cauliflower Florets
¼ Cup – Chopped Scallions, Stems Only
¼ Cup – All Purpose Flour
¼ Cup – Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
1 Cup – Panko Bread Crumbs
2 – Large Eggs
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
THE NITTY GRITTY
Before chopping, wash and drain cauliflower florets in a colander or large wired sieve; place in one layer on paper towels and pat dry.
In a large skillet warm about an inch of oil at medium high heat.
Meanwhile, with a silicon spoon or spatula, combine scallions, flour, bread crumbs, panko, salt, pepper and eggs with chopped cauliflower till a binding mixture forms. Scoop out mixture using a 1/3 measuring cup greased with cooking spray; pack firmly and transfer to a baking sheet, or tray, lined with parchment. Wetting hands when needed; flatten each measured scoop of mixture to about ½ inch while shaping into a patty.
Fry in batches; do NOT overcrowd. Carefully place 3 patties to hot oil; fry for about 2 minutes, or till sides begin to brown. Using a metal turner, flip hash brown over and fry for another 1 – 2 minutes, or till crisp and golden. (NOTE: If hash browns appear to be frying too fast, reduce heat to medium.)
Transfer hash browns to paper towels to drain oily excess.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you're making double or triple batches of this recipe, drain hash browns first on paper towels before transferring them to a baking sheet with a wired rack; keeping them warm in a 250° F oven till ready to serve.
FYI: My JUST Hollandaise does in fact get thick as traditional hollandaise sauce. For photography purposes, I applied it slightly thickened to my Sausage Eggs Benedict to show how fluffy and delicious JUST Egg looks when cooked.
MARCH 22, 2021
