Cauliflower Bread Pudding
1 medium-sized cauliflower 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric 3 tablespoons plus ¼ cup
ghee (see note)
3 cups minced onions 3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon,
ground
2 cups cream (see note) 1 serrano pepper, thinly
sliced (optional) 1½ cups of melting cheese,
like gruyere or raclette 4 cups cubed bread (challah works best but any light bread will do)
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo
beans (see note)
¼ cup finely chopped
sage leaves
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut off the 2- to 3-inch hard core from the bottom of the cauliflower — the rest is edible. Cut the cauliflower into florets, and the remaining greens and stems into ¼-inch pieces. Combine with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, turmeric and 3 tablespoons of ghee. Spread onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is golden brown.
Heat ¼ cup ghee on high, then sauté the minced onions for 15-18 minutes on medium heat until they are golden brown, stirring frequently. Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cinnamon, cream, 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the serrano pepper (if using) and cheese. Add the cubed bread, garbanzo beans and sage. Once the onions and cauliflower are done, transfer them to the bowl with the egg mixture and combine.
Transfer contents to a 2to 3-inch-deep greased baking pan, roughly 8-by-10 inches. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Remove pan and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
• Any fragrant herb can be used instead of sage, like oregano, basil or rosemary.
• For a dairy-free version, replace cream with coconut milk and ghee with olive oil.
• Make the pudding a day ahead but bake it for only 30 minutes; it will not be completely done. Before serving, pop it in the oven again for 15-20 minutes.
• For a gluten free version, replace the bread with store-bought corn bread.
• Discard all the water from the garbanzo beans can, and rinse the beans 2-3 times in cold water before using. Serves 12 as a small side or 6-8 as an entree