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If you're looking for a new way to dress up cauliflower, try this bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs. It's amazing how the simple vegetable can transform with a little help from gruyere, parmesan, and the most addicting chorizo breadcrumbs.
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Watch how to make this
What makes this dish special
For the longest time, cauliflower was not getting any love. People thought that the vegetable was boring and bland, leaving little to be desired. Then out of nowhere, it became wildly popular! It's so interesting how these food fads come and go. Remember when Pizza Hut used kale as the salad bar decoration? It's like someone came and taught a handful of people how to make cauliflower actually taste good and those groups of people went and spread the news. Well, today I'm adding to the long list of cauliflower recipes with my bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs. This dish hits all the hits with a little tangy, salty, and a whole lot of savory!
Ingredients
- Cauliflower: The star of the recipe is the cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower. However, you can experiment using the recipe for another vegetable such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or asparagus.
- Lemon: Adds brightness to the vegetable, balancing the other flavors of the vinaigrette.
- Dijon mustard: The mustard helps stabilize the vinaigrette while adding a creamy and slightly thick texture.
- Gruyere: You can substitute the gruyere for another melting cheese such as fontina, mozzarella, or Emmental.
- Parmesan: The hard cheese adds umami and seasoning to the cauliflower.
- Chorizo: You can use Spanish or Portuguese chorizo as long as it's cured. If you're not a fan of chorizo, you can substitute it with another type of spicy sausage.
- Panko: The lighter flaker type of breadcrumb is ideal for the chorizo breadcrumbs. For best results, use homemade breadcrumbs.
Substitutions
- Make vegetarian: Replace the chorizo with soy chorizo or another vegetarian sausage.
- Make gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or make your own from gluten-free bread.
How to make bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs
Step 1: Prepare cauliflower
Since cauliflower is a mild-flavored vegetable, it's important to layer on the flavor. We're adding several key ingredients including gruyere, parmesan, mustard, lemon, and chorizo breadcrumbs to highlight the vegetable in the best way possible.
Start by cutting the cauliflower into small florets and tossing them in a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, and mustard. Lay the cauliflower in one even layer on a sheet pan and roast until the thick stalks become tender. To test if the cauliflower is ready, stick a fork in the thickest part of the stem. The fork should be able to go through.
Step 2: Make breadcrumbs
While the vegetable is roasting, make the chorizo breadcrumbs. Chorizo breadcrumbs are my best friend. I love making a large batch of these and throwing them on salads, pasta, pizzas, almost anything. The crispy breadcrumbs with the salty chorizo just bring dishes to life.
For best results, use homemade breadcrumbs and cured chorizo. Uncured chorizo almost melts when cooked while cured chorizo holds its shape. You want the cured version for those small chunks of chorizo throughout the breadcrumbs. A little salty, savory surprise with every bite.
Step 3: The finishing touches
Finish the cauliflower by drizzling on the remaining mustard lemon vinaigrette, and sprinkling on the gruyere and parmesan. Broil for another 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and caramelized.
Sprinkle on those lovely chorizo breadcrumbs and chopped chives and there you have it! Bruleed cauliflower with chorizo breadcrumbs sounds like it'll be a winner and you know what? It really is.
Frequently asked questions
The spice level depends on the chorizo used. Adjust the quantity or choose a mild or spicy chorizo based on your preference.
Since the cauliflower has subtle flavors, it's easy to pair with many main dishes. Some of my favorites include citrus chile garlic shrimp, beer braised brisket with caramelized onions, and bbq spiced salmon with caramelized pineapple.
Yes, you can prepare the chorizo breadcrumbs up to 3 days in advance and cook the cauliflower prior to serving. For best results, broil the cauliflower with the cheese right before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven to maintain the crispy texture.
More cauliflower recipes
Looking for more recipes featuring cauliflower? Try these:
Recipe
Bruleed Cauliflower with Chorizo Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
Bruleed cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup grated gruyere
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Chorizo breadcrumbs
- ½ ounce cured chorizo
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ¼ cup panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut cauliflower into small florets. Whisk together olive oil with minced garlic, salt, black pepper, juice of ½ lemon, and Dijon mustard. Toss cauliflower with half of the vinaigrette, reserving the other half. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes or until tender, tossing the cauliflower halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the chorizo breadcrumbs. Chop the chorizo into small chunks. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and saute until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add panko and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the breadcrumbs become golden brown. Remove from heat and drain the chorizo breadcrumbs on paper towels.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Preheat broiler to high.
- Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle grated gruyere, and grated parmesan. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Sprinkle chorizo breadcrumbs on top and chopped chives. Serve immediately.
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