Parmesan Battered Fried Cauliflower: Thanksgiving Appetizer or Not

Fried cauliflower has been part of my Thanksgiving experience since I started paying attention to the meal.  Before I started noticing food, Thanksgiving meant a big ante pasta plate with a weird veggie that tricked you into thinking it was celery but tasted like disgusting licorice, and gross olives.  The only saving grace was the mashed rutabagas.

Slowly I became more aware of the food.  It started slowly with the wonderful smell that I had never experienced before, that of Parmesan battered cauliflower hitting hotoil.  Heavenly.  What I remember most about the fried cauliflower was my Aunt Lorraine frying it up and putting it on a big platter and everyone eating it BEFORE it got to the table.  Hence up until last year when I told Aunt Lorraine this story I thought it was an appetizer.  WRONG.

But in our house it is an appetizer, a delicious appetizer, so good tasting that even the pickiest of young eaters scarf them down.

 So this is a nod to Aunt Lorraine and her wonderfully delicious fried cauliflower.  I have to confess that I don’t put the dried basil in the batter, I simply put in more cheese.

Aunt Lorraine’s Fried Cauliflower

• 1 cup cold water
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Pour flour and salt into a bowl slowly add water 
2. Once you have a smooth mixture add the cheese.
3. Break up the cauliflower into pieces that can be devoured in two bites.
4. Heat a heavy cast iron pan or electric fry pan with half an inch of canola oil so that a drop of water sizzles.
5. Coat cauliflower pieces with Parmesan batter.
6. Place in hot oil.
7. Brown on all sides.  When finished place on paper towel.  See if they make it out of the kitchen.