One cauliflower became two midweek dinners on the trot this week. Wild, I know.
First, it was roasted and glazed in fiery Korean gochujang (fermented chilli paste) and served with sushi rice, quick-pickled carrots, kimchi and some of those addictive tempura prawns I found in the freezer (tasty, but very much optional).
The next night, the leftover roasted cauliflower was stirred through a pasta sauce, with creamy cannellini beans, red onions, and the frozen peas that are ever-present in all our meals at the moment, given they’re one of the few green veggies my son will eat. In the end he ate maybe three peas, but given the phase we’re in - i.e. one in which ‘no’ is his favourite word for most foods, except blueberries and oat cakes – I’m counting that as a win.
Both dinners came together in about 20 minutes or so, making them ideal for frantic weeknights. I’ve shared the recipes below, plus some more ideas for ‘rollover’ cooking, by which I mean dishes which contain a component that can form the basis of the next meal. In other words, a time-poor cook’s friend.
Gochujang cauliflower rice bowls
Serves 2
100g sushi rice
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
1 cauliflower (half to be used for the pasta tomorrow – or just use ½ a head)
1 large carrot
1 pack frozen tempura prawns (optional)
Kimchi, to serve
For the dressing
2 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp honey or maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the cauliflower into florets and arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown. Remove half of the cauliflower at this point to use for tomorrow’s pasta.
Cook the prawns at the same time, according to the pack instructions.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and add to a pan with 150ml water and ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the water has been absorbed, then leave with the lid on.
Combine the sugar and rice wine vinegar. Remove 1 tbsp of the mixture and stir through the rice, fluffing up the grains. Add the lime juice to the remaining vinegar along with ½ tsp salt. Peel the carrot then cut into thin strips, and scrunch this in a bowl with the lime and vinegar.
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, tasting to adjust the sweetness and acidity. Spoon this over the cauliflower, add the cauliflower leaves, drizzle with oil and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, until glossy. Serve with the rice, prawns, carrot and kimchi.
The baby step
Serve some of the plain roasted cauliflower with the rice and finely chopped carrot along with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Creamy caramelised onion, cauliflower and cannellini bean pasta
Serves 2
2 red onions, thinly sliced
3 fat cloves garlic, minced
½ head roasted cauliflower
1 tin (400g) cannellini beans
200g small pasta
½ vegetable stock cube
A generous handful of frozen peas
Parmesan, to serve
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, or until completely softened and becoming jammy (add a splash of water to the pan if they’re sticking).
Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions.
Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes before adding the beans and their liquid. Add the stock and a splash of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer, mashing the beans slightly with the back of the spoon.
Put the pasta on to boil according to the pack instructions.
Stir the cauliflower and peas into the beans, heat through for a couple of minutes, then drain the pasta into the bowl with the beans using a spider, adding a splash of cooking water if needed to create a glossy sauce. Serve with parmesan and loads of black pepper on top.
The baby step
Mash the beans/cauliflower to your baby’s desired consistency. For very young babies, choose a small, spoonable pasta shape, such as orzo.
More ‘rollover’ cooking ideas
Cooked rice – serve with curry one night, make into egg-fried rice the next (make sure it’s piping hot).
Baked sweet potatoes – serve with spiced black beans and lime wedges one night, the next night blitz with cooked lentils into soup.
Garlicky tomato sauce – toss through pasta one night, the next, spread over a shop-bought pizza base or a piece of puff pastry, tear over mozzarella and bake.
PS This week I’m loving…
This julienne peeler is a nifty gadget as we approach summer salad season – use it to cut thin strips of carrot, cucumber or courgette in seconds.