Spicy Fried Cauliflower Sandwich

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

2 cloves garlic

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Dillicious dill pickle brine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 large head cauliflower

For the slaw

½ medium red onion

1 small clove garlic

2 ½ tablespoons Dillicious dill pickle brine

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 small green cabbage

For the batter

1 cup plain flour

½ cup cornflour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 ½ cup soda water

For the dredge

1 ½ cups plain flour

½ cup cornflour

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

For frying and serving

5 cups vegetable oil

6 brioche burger buns, halved

½ jar Dillicious Oh So Spicy pickle chips

Hot sauce

Method

To marinate the cauliflower, mince garlic cloves and place in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, pickle brine, Dijon mustard, and 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (depending on the desired heat level), and whisk to combine. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. The marinade should taste well-seasoned, almost like spicy ranch dressing. Remove and discard the leaves from 1 large head cauliflower and trim the bottom of the core. Quarter the cauliflower through the core. Cut each quarter into 5cm thick slabs, trying to keep a bit of the core in each. You should get about 2 slabs per quarter, plus a couple of large florets.

Add the cauliflower to the marinade. Using your hands, carefully and gently coat all the pieces thoroughly in the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 2 and up to 8 hours.

To make the slaw, thinly slice red onion and mince garlic clove. Place both in a large bowl and add all the remaining seasoning ingredients. Toss to combine, scrunching the onion with your fingers to soften it a bit.

Quarter cabbage through the core, then cut the core out of each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage, add to the onion mixture, and toss to combine, scrunching the cabbage firmly with your hands so that it softens somewhat and starts letting out liquid. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 2 days).

Preparing your burger

Line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Add enough vegetable oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to come about 5cm up the sides and heat over medium heat until 185°C. Meanwhile, place combined ingredients for dredging mixture and batter into two separate bowls.

Working with one piece of cauliflower at a time, remove from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and coat in the flour mixture. Tap off any excess flour, dip into the batter, then carefully place in the hot oil. Dredge, then batter, and then fry a few pieces at a time so as not to crowd the pan, flipping once with tongs, until deeply golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes total. Be sure to return the oil to 185°C between batches.

Transfer to the wire rack. Fry the remaining cauliflower. Save the biggest pieces for the sandwiches, but serve the smaller pieces as “nuggets”—or eat them yourself. Cook’s treat!

To serve, lightly toast 6 buns. Swipe a little mayonnaise inside each, then top with fried cauliflower, hot sauce, and a pile of slaw and dill pickle chips. Serve additional slaw on the side with pickles.