veganmofo - retro + cauliflower fricassee

Day 9 #vgnmf15 prompt is "most retro recipe."

I chose to revamp a fricasse, which has been documented to as far back as the 1300 - I'd say that's pretty retro.

Fricassee is a meat and vegetable braise in a white sauce of some such or another. While originally thought to be of French origin, fricassee has gone through a gamut of adaptations anywhere from Spain to the Caribbean Islands, a version that includes Scotch Bonnet peppers.

I've stuck as close to the original as possible because I have a type-A personality and things need to be as close to "perfect" as is veganly doable.

Replacing the typical chicken, this fricassee features roasted chickpeas (which are, btw, stunning all by themselves and make an excellent snack) and large pieces of cauliflower that are braised in an onion-thyme gravy.

I served these with retro green beans and corkscrew pasta.

If you haven't entered the contest to win Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) yet, head over to yesterday's post HERE. Good luck!

Cauliflower Fricassee

Serves 4 to 6

Marinade:

1 medium to large head cauliflower, cut into large florets

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon, juiced 

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Fricassee:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Sea salt and ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour 

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup unsweetened plain vegan milk

1. Marinade: Steam the cauliflower until par-tender. Combine the onions, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, paprika, salt, tarragon and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the par-cooked cauliflower and mix well. Set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and and cook the chickpeas until golden and crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and set aside in a medium bowl. Heat the other tablespoon of oil and add the cauliflower florets, leaving as much of the onion in the bowl as possible. Cook the cauliflower until golden, turning as needed. When browned, remove and set aside in the bowl with the chickpeas.

3. Add the marinade, including the onions, the carrots and bay leaf to the pot. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until golden, about 5 more minutes. Add the flour and stir until the flour is well incorporated. Add the broth and stir well. Add the milk and the reserved cauliflower and chickpeas and bring to boil. reduce to simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

4. Season to taste and serve with pasta and steamed green beans.

 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.