Spicy Dry Rub Cauliflower Wings with Gouda Dipping Sauce

Growing up I hated cauliflower. Next to lima beans and cooked carrots it was my least favorite vegetable. It’s a flavorless vegetable that was only good covered in cheese or dipped in large amounts of range dressing (lets be honest those are still the best ways to eat cauliflower). My further dislike for this bulbous bland vegetable came from the fact that I had only had it cooked and most people tend to overcook it to the point that a toddler could successfully chew and digest with only one tooth. So it took me a while to jump on the cauliflower band wagon. I watched friends and cooking blogs for years talk about things like cauliflower mashed potatoes, cauliflower pizza crust, and cauliflower rice. None of it sounded appetizing to me. I love my carbs and in my mind there is no replacement for mashed potatoes, pizza, and rice, let alone replacing it with a vegetable that has not earned my respect.

As I saw more and more recipes using cauliflower I soon realized that maybe the blandness of cauliflower could be it’s advantage. What if with the right seasoning and complimentary ingredients combined with not overcooking it, I could make this detestable garden product a delicious appetizer me and my family would devour. Enter the Spicy Dry Rub Cauliflower Wings. These are a delicious vegetarian appetizer you can set out at any party next to the real thing and they’ll get consumed.

MAKING THE SPICY DRY RUB CAULIFLOWER WINGS

The first step is easy, take your head of cauliflower and cut it into whatever size pieces you’d like. I personally like bigger pieces to pick up and dip, but you may prefer smaller bit size pieces you can eat with a fork. Either way, once you’ve got your cauliflower all cut up toss it in a steamer for about 3-5 minutes. You don’t want to steam it long because as I mentioned before, the vegetable can get mushy really fast and for the next steps you don’t want it too soft. Once it’s a little tender, set it to the side and let it cool.

Once the cauliflower has cooled enough for you to touch it, place it in a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil. When you can see that the cauliflower has a good coat of oil on almost all the pieces slowly add about half of the dry rub seasoning. I like to shake it in slowly from the bowl I mixed it in, but if you’re unsure of how steady your hands are I recommend a small spoon and add little bits at a time. The key is not to add it in clumps, but to let it spread around. Then slowly toss the cauliflower until you see an even coat of seasoning on all the pieces. Add more dry rub seasoning if you feel it looks light.

After you’ve coated all the cauliflower with your dry rub seasoning, lay it out on a greased cookie sheet. When you’ve got everything laid out, go over it with the remaining dry rub seasoning to give it a little bit of coating on the top. The cauliflower won’t soak up the dry rub like regular wings will and you don’t want to have only half the flavoring. Otherwise we might as well have just set out the pieces uncooked with some ranch dressing and saved ourselves the hassle. Once you like what you see, toss them in your oven set to 450 for about 15 minutes. To finish them off, turn the oven up to broil for about 5 minutes. It won’t take long for them to turn brown on top and that’s exactly what you’re looking for to bring all the flavors together and give them a good crunch.

THE GOUDA DIPPING SAUCE

If you like wings, you know you gotta have the right dip for them. Whether it’s blue cheese or old fashioned ranch dressing, the dip always seems to be just the right finish for whatever flavors you have. The same goes for cauliflower wings, and with this recipe in particular I love a good Gouda dip. The tangy and cool dip is a perfect compliment to the spicy heat of the wings. When you pick out your Gouda, don’t get sucked in with the fancy smoked or flavored cheeses. You want a nice, rich traditional Gouda to best compliment the dry rub seasoning of the wings. Combine your dip ingredients in a food processor and pulse for about a minute. I like bigger pieces of Gouda in my dip, but if you want it to be a little more smooth, blend longer to break down the cheese. When it has the texture you like, you’re ready to eat.

RECIPE

Dry Rub Seasoning

1 tbsp Paprika

1 tbsp Onion Powder

1 tbsp Seasoned Salt

1.5 tbsp Brown Sugar

1.5 tsp Chili Powder

1.5 tsp Cumin

2 tbsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Ground Mustard Seed

1/2 tsp Ground Thyme

1/2 tsp White Pepper

1/2 tsp Oregano

Creamy Gouda Dip

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

3 tbsp Buttermilk

1/4 cup Sour Cream

3 oz Crumbled Gouda

1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 clove Garlic, minced or grated

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

February 7, 2020