I can’t remember when I first set eyes on Yotam Ottolenghi’s cauliflower cake recipe (sometime last year?), but I do recall instantly adding it to my mental to-do list. And in all honesty, it likely would have sat there had it not been for my sister-in-law, who surprised me with a copy of Plenty More last Saturday.
I was touched and delighted by the gift and, more important, inspired to get up off the couch and cook. Every one of the 150+ dishes featured in the book captivated me. But as soon as I flipped to Page 246, there was no question where I would begin my Plenty More journey.
Come Monday morning, I rolled up my sleeves and tackled chef Ottolenghi’s cauliflower cake recipe (with a slight twist to utilize some ingredients in the fridge). Was it worth the effort? Let’s just say it’s a meal I’d prepare and polish off time and again.
Recipe adapted from Plenty More.
- 1 small head green cauliflower, stems removed and florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
- 1 medium red onion
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 7 eggs
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1½ cups grated Asiago cheese with rosemary and olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- Place cauliflower and 1 teaspoon salt in a sauce pan and cover with water; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Slice 3¼"-thick rounds off the end of the onion and set aside. Dice the remaining onion and add to a fry pan. Add rosemary and olive oil to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs and parsley and whisk until smooth. Stir in the cooked onion, flour, baking powder, pepper, turmeric, Asiago cheese and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Gently fold in the cooked cauliflower.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and brush paper with olive oil. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the sides of the prepared pan.
- Carefully pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the reserved onion rings on top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is set and the tip of a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then remove ring and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
