Buffalo Cauliflower Burger

 

 

 

Some people think that because I grew up in Buffalo that I am used to the snow and cold, and that it shouldn’t bother me.

 

 

 

 

When in actuality my patience for such things ran out by the time I was 8, and by 18 I knew that though I had the most wonderful family Buffalo just wasn’t for me.

 

 

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Zucchini Chicken Wraps with Balsamic Vinaigrette + Provolone

 

 

When I was younger I used to go out of my way to eat at a place called Mighty Taco, famous in the Buffalo area.

 

 

 

 

At that point I didn’t eat meat or beans, so I thought of myself as innovative for putting iceberg lettuce in my taco.

 

I ended up with a taco containing lettuce and cheese--and only lettuce and cheese.

 

 

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Buffalo Cabbage Spring Rolls

Check out this recipe for my Buffalo Cabbage Spring Rolls—from my book Meat On The Side!

Buffalo Cabbage Spring Rolls

servings: 6 Spring Rolls + 1 Cup Dipping Sauce

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:

  • ½ cup blue cheese crumbles (2 ounces)
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions, (green parts only)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Buffalo Cabbage Spring Rolls:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half (6 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • ⅓ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • 2½ cups lightly packed cabbage slaw mix (from the supermarket)
  • ¾ cup finely chopped celery
  • ¼ cup finely chopped scallions
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 flour egg roll wrappers
  • Canola oil, for frying

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:

  1. Put the blue cheese crumbles in a small bowl, breaking up the pieces if they are bigger larger than ¼ inch. Add the sour cream, buttermilk, scallions, and salt to the bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Buffalo Cabbage Spring Rolls:

  1. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper evenly all over the chicken. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through—, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 2 to 3 minutes; then chop it into ½-inch pieces.
  2. To make the filling, placePut the cream cheese and hot sauce in a large microwave-safe bowl; and microwave on high until the cheese is has slightly softened slightly—, 15 to 20 seconds—. and then wWhisk the mixture them tountil well gethercombined. . It (This mixture does not have to be perfectly smooth; it’s okay to have some lumps.) Add the chicken, slaw mix, celery, scallions, cilantro, garlic powder, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the bowl and stir until well combined.
  3. Arrange the egg roll wrappers on a work surface, orienting each so one corner points toward you (making a diamond shape). Have ready a small bowl of water and a pastry brush. Make the rolls one at a time: Spoon about ½ cup of the filling onto the center and then brush a little water onto the margins. Fold up the bottom corner over the filling; then fold up each side corner. Then roll the filled wrapper over on itself toward the top corner.
  4. Pour oil into a small or medium heavy-bottomed saucepan to a depth of at least 2 inches (but not more than halfway up the sides). Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the oil to 375°F; (use a candy thermometer to register the temperature). Working in small batches, fry the rolls until they are golden brown on all sides—. 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer each batch to a paper- towel– lined plate to drain.
  5. Serve the rolls hot with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce.

Notes:

  • don’t always have buttermilk on hand, and although it adds a little extra tang to the dipping sauce, it can easily be replaced with any milk or cream you keep have in your fridge.
  • 50/50 - With all the flavor going on in these spring rolls, you will not miss the meat if you prefer a vegetarian appetizer—there are many times I choose to serve them meatless. To make half the recipe meatless, use only 3 ounces chicken, but add an extra ½ cup slaw mix; (don’t add the chicken to the filling until after you’ve made 3 vegetarian rolls. Or to go totally meat-free, and simply replace all the chicken with an extra cup of the slaw mix.
  • FF - Kids aren’t big fans of blue cheese? Leave it out for a scallion– sour cream dressing. Also to tone down the spicy taste, cut the amount of hot sauce to 3 tablespoons and use 5 ounces of cream cheese instead for a milder version.
: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking
 

Find more recipes like this in Meat on the Side!

 

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Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

In my book, Meat On The Side, I have a Cauliflower Wing recipe...

Cauliflower 2.jpg

I roast cauliflower and toss it with my famous (and famously simple!) Buffalo sauce.

Then I douse it with blue cheese and shaved celery, for a “salad” worthy of an Oscar (Or whatever type of award is appropriate for a salad. Probably not an Oscar, huh?).

It’s an easy and light way to get your Buffalo fix.

However, I've been playing with the whole cauliflower + Buffalo sauce thing for awhile now, and I've recently come up with a new version.

This one has just a few more calories and takes just a little more time, but in the end you are left with something that will really, truly satisfy your craving for wings.

The batter is simple—a combination of flour and milk...

You whisk it up, add some cauliflower, and suddenly start to see the magical way a piece of cauliflower can become a wing.

Once baked, you simply toss these "wings" with Buffalo sauce and, most importantly, prepare yourself to eat them all!

It’s a plate of wings that are baked—not fried! And it's cauliflower—not chicken!

Really, what more could you ask for?!

No need to send a thank you gift, just remember you owe me. ;)

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

servings: Makes 40-50 cauliflower “wings”

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cups whole milk
  • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 medium head cauliflower, broken or cut into bite-size florets
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon light brown sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil. Spray the foil generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce, 3 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce, the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
  3. Toss the cauliflower in the batter, then spread it on the baking sheets. Bake the cauliflower until it is slightly browned in spots—about 20 minutes.
  4. While the cauliflower bakes, in a small pot, whisk together the remaining ¾ cup hot sauce, the butter, vinegar, brown sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
  5. Once the cauliflower is browned, remove it from the oven and toss it well in the Buffalo sauce. Turn on the broiler, to high if you have that option. Then return the cauliflower to the baking sheets and cook it under the broiler until it is crispy and browned in spots—2-3 minutes more. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss or brush it with the remaining sauce. Enjoy by serving with blue cheese.

Notes:

  • Freezing Instructions: To enjoy later, freeze the completed Buffalo Cauliflower Wings in a single layer (not touching) on a baking sheet lined with foil. Once they are frozen, remove the wings from the baking sheet, place them in a food storage bag, and put them back in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. To reheat, begin by preheating the oven to 375°F and lightly spraying a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cook the wings until they are warmed through, 10-15 minutes, depending on their size.
: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking
 

Find more recipes like this in Meat on the Side!

 

You might also like these recipes:

Buffalo Shrimp Rolls

 

 

I love anything with Buffalo sauce on it.  One time Buffalo sauce landed on my phone and I seriously considered eating it.

 

 

 

 

Since I am from Buffalo you would think that this love affair started back when I was growing up, eating some of the best wings in the world. However, in actuality I didn’t even eat a chicken wing until many years later after I left those Buffalo winters behind.

 

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