My sister declared these the best things I have ever made, and given how often I cook that is really saying something – even non-cauliflower lovers adore them. Ideal for a lazy weekend brunch, light lunch or dinner.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cauliflower, finely chopped
1 large stick celery, finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
390-gram tin chickpeas, drained
3 pieces toast bread, crusts removed, whizzed in the food processor
1 egg
½ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup currants
rice bran or light olive oil spray
Pesto
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1 cup coriander, roughly chopped
⅓ cup grated parmesan
⅓ cup olive oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed
½ cup walnuts
3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt or whole egg mayonnaise
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
To serve
4 cups salad greens such as watercress, baby rocket or spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
4 poached eggs
¼ cup coriander leaves
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the cauliflower, celery and onion for 5 minutes. Add the spices and a little salt and pepper and cook a further 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Cool, then put the mixture in a food processor with the chickpeas, breadcrumbs and egg. Pulse to combine, add the walnuts and currants and pulse very briefly to mix through. Tip out into a large bowl and roll into 20 small balls. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line two baking trays with baking paper. Spray the balls very lightly with oil and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Pesto: Whiz the pesto ingredients together in a small food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add a little water to thin further, if desired.
Serve the vege balls with salad greens tossed with oil and vinegar, poached eggs, a good dollop of pesto and a sprinkling of coriander.
Sarah Tuck
Sarah Tuck is a food writer and photographer based in Auckland. For more recipe ideas and cooking inspiration, visit her beautifully photographed blog, From the Kitchen. To read a little more about her and find out how From The Kitchen began, click here to read our story on her.
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latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.