Cobwebbed Cauliflower for HALLOWEEN

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halloween cauliflower

Spooky season is upon us – which means my kitchen looks more like a haunted house than a place to cook dinner. That means all things creepy crawly are coming your way.

Tonight, I dusted off some old spellbooks and ended up with this cobwebbed cauliflower recipe.

cobwebbed cauliflower

Now I think my cauliflower is haunted?

Here’s what you need to make your own cobwebbed cauliflower:

  • yellow, purple, green & white cauliflower – carved down to florets
  • black garlic cloves – roughly chopped for optimal vampire protection
  • parmesan & mozzrella – cheese makes the best cobwebs
  • red pepper flakes – to ward off evil spirits with the heat
  • olive oil – to make you too slippery to be caught by demons
  • onion powder & ramp/garlic salt – to haunt your tastebuds with bad breath
air fryer baked cauliflower

Air Fry vs Roasted

For this recipe, I tested out both cooking methods!

For a crispier cauliflower, I recommend using your air fryer to really get things crunchy. For a creamier cauliflower and smoother texture, you can roast it longer in the oven.

The air fryer will toast the outside of the cauliflower more quickly than a traditional oven roast would. If you prefer your cauliflower to be softer – with more of a chew and less of a crunch – then oven roasted is definitely the way to go.

halloween cauliflower recipe

Creepy-Caulis

If you are wondering how I got my cauliflower to be supernaturally colored – it’s actually not witchcraft!

Cauliflower naturally grows in an array of colors from yellow to purple. Green cauliflower is also known as broccoflower tastes essentially exactly the same as regular white cauliflower – a bit crunchy, a bit nutty, and a little bit sugary.

Purple cauliflower is purple thanks to the same antioxidants that can be found in red cabbage. It has the same overall flavor as regular cauliflower but some people say that it has less of a ‘bite’ to it.

Yellow cauliflower is probably the most different from the rest – getting its yellowish hue from beta-caratones and therefore giving it more vitamin A. It also has a sweeter and creamier texture when roasted – like regular cauliflower, but smoother in mouthfeel.

But now that you know the history of the cauliflower – and have died from boredom – you can spend your afterlife learning about the dark secrets of black garlic.

easy cauliflower air fryer

Black magic or BLACK GARLIC?

I’d like to think that black garlic has magical qualities because of how delicious it is. Often people confuse the process to make black garlic with the process of fermentation.

Darkened through a cooking process called the Malliard reaction, the garlic is basically slowly roasted until it is completely caramelized and blackened. While I won’t get into specific here, black garlic is quickly gaining in popularity (at least here in Cleveland). I’ve seen whole heads of black garlic in my produce departments as well as whole cloves next to the spices in the spice aisle. Heck, I’ve even seen dried and powdered versions of it – though for this recipe, I definitely recommend finding whole cloves if you can. The fresher, the better!

The taste of black garlic is sweet, chewy and similar to a caramelized balsamic in flavor. This makes it the perfect ingredient to add beautiful notes of caramelized garlic to any dish – but when roasted and eaten straight, it adds a bright burst of garlicky flavor that is sure to ward off any potential vampires.

healthy halloween recipe

HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON!

A HELL-thy version of cauliflower for Halloween dinner!

halloween cauliflower

Cobwebbed Cauliflower for HALLOWEEN

The Starving Chef
Colorful cauliflower is transfigured into a magical dish covered with cobweb cheese for HALLOWEEN!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Halloween, Side Dish
Cuisine Halloween, Healthy, Quick & Easy
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz white, yellow purple & green cauliflower cut into florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 cloves black garlic roughly chopped
  • ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt or ramp salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cups fresh grated Parmesan
  • ¼ cups fresh shredded mozzarella

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets in olive oil along with the chopped black garlic, red pepper flakes, onion powder, salt and pepper.

AIR FRYER COOKING METHOD:

  • Arrange the florets in a single layer in the air fryer tray. Air fry for 10-15 minutes at 350°F or until the cauliflower is tender and cooked through.

OVEN ROASTED COOKING METHOD:

  • Arrange the florets on a greased or lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and beginning to brown.
  • Sprinkle the parmesan and mozzarella onto the piping hot cauliflower. When served hot, the cheese will create a dusty, cobwebby effect. Happy Halloween!
Keyword air fryer, cauliflower, Parmesan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!