Cauliflower Crisps

This terrific appy comes from my dear friend Nancy, of Surprise, Arizona, whose mother once made them. Nancy used to eat the leftovers straight from the fridge. When I recently tried these Crisps, we ate them hot, but the next day ... Straight from the fridge! Eating them as fast as we did, we didn’t pause for a photo! 

Cauliflower Crisps:

1 medium cauliflower, rinsed. dried, exterior leaves removed

2 c. (500 mL) Bisquick commercial biscuit mix

2 large eggs

1 c. (250 mL) milk 

1/3 c. (80 mL) shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese

Garlic powder, to taste

Parsley leaves, fresh or dried, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying in skillet

Trim cauliflower into 1-1/2 in. (3.5 mm) florets. Cook until “al dente,” about 2 min. Immediately chill in cold water. Pat dry with paper towel; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing until smooth. Heat skillet on medium, Dip cauliflower into batter until well coated, frying 8-to-10 pieces at a time until golden on each side. Briefly rest on paper towel to absorb excess fat. Serve at once. Yields 3 or 4 portions.

Note: Don’t add liquid to the batter until moments before you’re ready to dip the florets. Nancy prefers to cut each floret in half before dipping it. 

I, on the other hand, found the slightly larger pieces worked well, while still hand-holdable. Nancy’s method uses more of the delicious batter; I had some left over ... in other words, wasted. 

The depth of oil in the skillet will affect your cooking time. I used about 2 in. (5 mm) of oil in my skillet, with the heat at medium-high. Nancy uses less oil, sautéeing the battered florets, rather than deep-fat frying them. This is a matter of personal preference. Although I used more oil than Nancy does, I strained the used oil, and refrigerating it in a clean jar, so that none was wasted. Sauté or deep-fry a test piece before proceeding.