WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS These crunchy, tangy, spicy, and just plain addictive cauliflower bites will be the new star of your game day table. The key was to come up with a flavorful, crunchy coating that would hold up under the Buffalo sauce. A mixture of cornstarch and cornmeal gave us an ultracrisp exterior. But because cauliflower is not naturally moist (like chicken), the mixture didn’t stick; so first we dunked the florets in canned coconut milk, which had just the right viscosity. We got decent results when we baked our bites, but we absolutely flipped over the crackly crust and tender interior we achieved through frying. An herby ranch dressing was a cooling foil to the kick of the bites. We used Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, but other hot sauces can be used. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. When you open the can of coconut milk, you may notice that it’s separated—there may be a more solid mass above the watery liquid. If so, be sure to mix it together before measuring.
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
RANCH DRESSING
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons minced fresh chives
- 1½ teaspoons minced fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
BUFFALO SAUCE
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- ½ cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
CAULIFLOWER
- 1–2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- Salt and pepper
- ⅔ cup canned coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 pound cauliflower florets, cut into 1½-inch pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
RANCH DRESSING
- Whisk all ingredients in bowl until smooth.
- Refrigerate until serving. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
BUFFALO SAUCE
- Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat.
- Whisk in hot sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar until combined.
- Remove from heat and cover to keep warm; set aside.
CAULIFLOWER
- Line platter with triple layer of paper towels.
- Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 400 degrees.
- While oil heats, combine cornstarch, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in small bowl.
- Whisk coconut milk and hot sauce together in large bowl.
- Add cauliflower; toss to coat well.
- Sprinkle cornstarch mixture over cauliflower; fold with rubber spatula until thoroughly coated.
- Fry half of cauliflower, adding 1 or 2 pieces to oil at a time, until golden and crisp, gently stirring as needed to prevent pieces from sticking together, about 3 minutes.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer fried cauliflower to prepared platter.
- Return oil to 400 degrees and repeat with remaining cauliflower.
- Transfer ½ cup sauce to clean large bowl, add fried cauliflower and gently toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with ranch dressing and remaining sauce.
