I decided it might be fun to name today’s recipe Roasted Cauliflower Crumbles.
This is one title reference recommended as a name substitution by someone in the rice industry, the Crumbles part that is.
The Rice industry is not particularly happy with the emergence of so named ‘riced’ cauliflower deeming it as edging its way into their product territory.
It hadn’t really occurred to me that there would be any confusion as to cauliflower being rice or vice versa. However, it is appropriate to provide an effort toward understanding the industry wide concern since rice is both an important commodity and staple around the world.
The brilliant and delicious idea of ‘riced cauliflower’ was created by a chef somewhere, I think in Australia. He had no clue that his creation would emerge as a long-term rage in countless food circles and publications from restorative health and clean eating to whats trending around the world.
The concept is an excellent one, delicious, healthy, low calorie, and certainly interesting enough in taste and possibilities. Whichever way you name it, Crumbles or Riced the concept has its place.
Given the difficult circumstance of the rice industry, still, I for one, and maybe you too would never confuse ‘riced cauliflower’ with rice or expect it to transcend the place of what we know as actual rice and its pivitol place in many diverse international and cultural cuisines. But. Knowing the challenge provides a perspective of understanding.
Roasted Cauliflower Crumbles with Kale, Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized head cauliflower, leaves removed, quartered, core removed, quarter pieces then cut into 3 chunks each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 1 1/2 tablespoons
- 1- 1 1/2 cups fresh kale leaves, chopped into tiny pieces
- coarse kosher salt
- cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place half of the cauliflower chunks into the bowl of a processor fitted with the steel cutter Pulse cauliflower to small crumbles, resembling 'rice' avoid over processing
- Transfer crumbles to a large baking sheet
- Finish pulsing the final batch to the same texture then transfer remainder to the baking sheet spreading evenly across
- Lightly drizzle cauliflower crumbles with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of salt then bake for 15-20 minutes, more or less, depending on your oven, until it is cooked through, a light crisp, tender. Tasting a crumble is the best way to determine its doneness
- Remove from oven, let cool slightly
- While cauliflower is roasting heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium sized saute pan, tumble in chopped tiny kale pieces, cook for 3-5 minutes on low heat until tender, sprinkle a pinch each of salt and pepper, stir through
- Lightly toss kale through the cooked cauliflower on the baking sheet using a fork to very lightly lift and mix, then stir through 1 tablespoon Parmesan
- Transfer Roasted Cauliflower Crumbles with Kale, Parmesan to a serving dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan
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