pushwing05 blog

I came up with this recipe years ago, when the kiddo was still a toddler and was going through one of his super annoying “No. I’m not eating vegetables and you can’t make me!’ phases.

I found a workaround when it finally dawned on me that once I turned vegetables into patties and browned them, he’d eat anything I’d put in there. Ha, take that, punk! 1-0 for the self-proclaimed tulip queen.

Add whatever you like: one or more cooked vegetables, canned tuna flakes, potatoes, leftover meat or fish. I stuffed them with whatever I had on hand and he devoured them. Those phases never lasted long, thank God, and now he’s a tall 8-year-old with a healthy appetite who’ll eat just about anything I put in front of him.

His love for these patties stayed, though. Probably because they’re plain ole comfort food.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower
3 to 4 spring onions
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2/3 cup grated cheese (I used Old Amsterdam)
1/4 tsp chili flakes
4 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs
4 tbsp regular breadcrumbs
2 eggs
pinch of pepper
salt

Directions:

Turn the cauliflower into florets and wash them.

Boil them in lightly salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re soft but still have a bite to them. Cooking time depends on how big your florets are. Drain them well. Just let them cool off in a colander.

Finely mince the spring onions.

Break the eggs into a bowl, add the sweet chili sauce, dried chili flakes and a good pinch of pepper and whisk. Feel free to add more spices or herbs.

Grate the cheese. Old Amsterdam is my favourite: aged, salty, sharp and crumbly.

Transfer the cauliflower back to the pan and lightly mash it.

Pour in the egg mix and add the spring onions and cheese. Stir well. Mash more if need be, but you want to keep some structure in there.

Stir in the breadcrumbs. Mine contained salt, so keep in mind that if yours don’t. you better add a little salt or things will be bland.

Use a medium-sized ice scoop for even portions.

Heat some oil and drop spoons of cauliflower mix in there. Flatten them with a fork and cook them over low to medium heat.

I like mine fairly light so I give it 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Keep in mind that the bigger you make them, the faster they’ll fall apart!

The guys like ‘em darker, so I cook those a little longer.

You won’t even need potatoes when you make these!