A cauliflower version of Aloo Bhaji from Near and Far ready for the oven.
I'm so glad cauliflower is not on the endangered species list. If it were I'd feel total guilt for having single handedly put it there myself. The way my husband and I hover over the roasting pan when we pull those golden brown clusters out of the oven, vying for the perfectly caramelized bits, you'd think those cruciferous crumbles were laced with dopamine.
On my first flip through Near & Far I was anxious to try Heidi's recipe for Aloo Bhaji which foretells of the most unctuous, pillowy, spice-laden roasted new potatoes. But when I read further and saw her suggestion to try a version of it with cauliflower, well it jumped right to the top of my "recipes-I-must-cook-immediately" list. Given the fact that I'd be sharing the spoils with my husband, I decided doubling it would be wise. The 2 pounds of florets fit splendidly into my 12" cast iron skillet. (pictured here)
With a quick stir the florets are dressed in a few diced chilies, mustard and cumin seeds for spice, fenugreek for earthy, piquant goodness, some clarified butter, shallots, and garlic. About 60 minutes in a 375 degree oven and you are there. Oh, even though cauliflower has my heart, I have to say the shallots and garlic heads were like a one-two punch, a double whammy, Beyonce and Bruno Mars on stage. Incredibly gorgeous going in the oven and powerhouses of flavor coming out. Transformed by the roast, each softened tooth of garlic slips out of it's papery wrapper, which I'll admit is too much fun. Let's be real, I know I'm not the only adult who likes to play with her food.
Though I loved this hearty satisfying dish, and enjoyed eating it immensely, the real moment of wonder and delight came from making a subsidiary ingredient. As you will see, Aloo Bhaji, like several other dishes in her book, has a recipe within the recipe. This nestled one is for Clarified Butter. And 7 tablespoons of it. My penchant for practicality would normally have had me just whiz on ahead, substituting vegetable oil without a qualm. But, at curiosity's beaconing, I reached for the butter and set about my first ever clarification. Clarified butter is made through a process of gently heating the butter to separate the milk solids from the oil, which are then siphoned off, leaving behind a shelf stable fat with a higher smoke point. Ghee is clarified butter taken a step further where the milk solids are allowed to brown, lending a more toasted, caramelized flavor profile. My local market sells jars of ghee, and granted, I could have just run out and purchased one but then I would have foregone the rich, caramelized butter smell that swirled around me as I made it...this may be how heaven smells folks. And I would have remained ignorant of the other lovely and useful by-product of this process -- my own little jar of browned-butter milk solids. These are a treasure to later find in the fridge and drizzle on some lucky little tidbits.
So, moral of the recipe is - make the ghee! Breath deeply, swirling the golden foaming pot, and relish in the buttery goodness. Oh I haven't even told you yet about the buttered lettuce recipe from the Paris section of the book! I tried that the next day using the browned-butter milk solids and it was a magical revelation .... one to share next time!
ALOO BHAJI
SERVES 4-6
— from Near and Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel by Heidi Swanson (Ten Speed Press, 2015)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound small new potatoes
- 7 tablespoons clarified butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- 8 small shallots
- 2 whole heads garlic, top third cut off
- fine grain sea salt
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 375F. Give the potatoes a good scrub and place them in a large pot of boiling salted water. Simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
In a large cast iron skillet or casserole, melt the butter over medium heat, and when hot, stir in the cumin, most of the serrano chiles, and the mustard and fenugreek. Saute until fragrant, barely a minute, and carefully add the potatoes to the skillet, in a single layer if possible. Toss gently to coat with butter and spices and remove from the heat. Nestle the shallots and garlic alongside the potatoes, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and move to the oven. Roast for 60 minutes, tossing once or twice along the way, until the potatoes are deeply golden and the garlic and shallots are perfectly soft. Serve sprinkled generously with the sesame seeds and the remaining serrano chiles.
Notes from Leslie
- I used cauliflower instead of potatoes, skipped the boiling, and roasted for an extra 10 minutes.