Cauliflower Fritters

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1

Trim the stem off the cauliflower and remove the largest leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the 1 tablespoon salt and the whole head of cauliflower, stem end up. Cook for 5 minutes, then carefully remove it from the water and let cool on a cutting board.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the flour, cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

Step 3

When cool enough to handle, remove any remaining leaves from the cauliflower and cut the head into slices, then cut each slice in half. You can also use any loose florets—coarsely chop them and add to the remaining batter after sautéing the main pieces.

Step 4

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 1/4 cup olive oil. Dip a piece of cauliflower into the batter, shake off the excess, and place in the pan. Continue until the pan is full, but don’t crowd the fritters. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer the fritters to a platter and repeat until all the fritters have been cooked, adding more oil to the pan, if needed, between batches. Sprinkle on the parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the lemons.