There is something to be said for cooking with lots of flavors, exciting tastes that take you on a journey during your meal. This is one of those recipes. My husband and I were married in New Orleans almost two years ago (noobs!) and we fell in love with the local food and flavors. Cajun cooking is not easy to replicate. This recipe scratches the surface, yet satisfies everything I was looking for in a taste of New Orleans in Arizona. These delicious cakes are baked--and so is the cauliflower. They also cook at different temperatures. So for this meal I needed my conventional oven as well as my handy-dandy toaster oven. |
Cajun Chickpea Cakes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pepper, to taste
Directions
In a saute pan drizzled with the oil, add the onion, green pepper, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-8 minutes until softened.
Meanwhile, in a food processor add the chickpeas and all spices, except for the flour and cornstarch. Add the cooked veg and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. Transfer the contents to a medium sized bowl and add the flour and cornstarch. Mix well and taste for seasonings, adjusting as necessary. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 420 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly spritz with cooking spray. Form small cakes from the mixture, using your hands to press together. You should end up with 8-10 cakes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, flipping the cakes half way through the cooking time.
Serve warm.
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pepper, to taste
Directions
In a saute pan drizzled with the oil, add the onion, green pepper, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-8 minutes until softened.
Meanwhile, in a food processor add the chickpeas and all spices, except for the flour and cornstarch. Add the cooked veg and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. Transfer the contents to a medium sized bowl and add the flour and cornstarch. Mix well and taste for seasonings, adjusting as necessary. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 420 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly spritz with cooking spray. Form small cakes from the mixture, using your hands to press together. You should end up with 8-10 cakes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, flipping the cakes half way through the cooking time.
Serve warm.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Yep, it's hot, but that's what helps to caramelize the outside of these little florets.
Breakdown the cauliflower into smaller florets. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
In a small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour the marinade over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing half way through the cooking time. Test with a fork to ensure the florets are cooked through.
Serve warm.Enjoy!
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Yep, it's hot, but that's what helps to caramelize the outside of these little florets.
Breakdown the cauliflower into smaller florets. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
In a small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour the marinade over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing half way through the cooking time. Test with a fork to ensure the florets are cooked through.
Serve warm.Enjoy!