CAULIFLOWER ARANCINI with Basil pesto, spinach & orange salad

CAULIFLOWER ARANCINI

Basil pesto, spinach & orange salad

INGREDIENTS

¾ head organic cauliflower 

Gluten-free arancini bread crumb 

¼ organic red bell pepper 

Organic herb cream cheese 

3 ½ tablespoons nut-free basil pesto 

2 ½ loosely packed cups organic spinach 

¼ organic red onion 

1 organic orange 

 Organic red wine vinaigrette base

INSTRUCTIONS

1

GRATE CAULIFLOWER

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set cream cheese aside to soften. Bring a large pot two-thirds full of water to a boil. Grate cauliflower (some stem is OK) with large holes of a box grater over a medium bowl.

2

BLANCH CAULIFLOWER RICE

Add cauliflower rice to boiling water and stir. Cook 2 minutes, then strain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Shake to drain thoroughly. Press with the back of a kitchen spoon to squeeze out excess water. Return cauliflower to bowl.

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  3

  FORM ARANCINI

  Dice red bell pepper into about ¼-inch pieces. Add arancini bread crumbs, diced bell pepper, and softened cream cheese to cauliflower rice. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Divide arancini mixture into 8 ping pong-size balls.
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  4

  COOK ARANCINI

  Heat about 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Carefully place arancini in pan. Cook 1-2 minutes. Loosen arancini from pan with tongs and turn over. Cook 1-2 more minutes, until mostly browned. Remove from pan and place on a nonstick-sprayed, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.

  Pro Tip: If arancini are sticking to pan, use a metal spatula to loosen them.

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    5

    CUT ORANGE

    Meanwhile, cut off top and bottom of orange. Resting orange on a flat edge, move knife down along curve of fruit to cut away peel and expose flesh. Repeat about 6 times, rotating. Cut orange into bite-size pieces.
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    6

    MAKE SALAD

    Add baby spinach, red onion, and orange to a large bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil to red wine vinaigrette base container, securely fasten lid and shake to combine. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Salt and pepper to taste.
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    7

    PLATE YOUR DISH

    Divide orange and spinach salad between plates, leaving about one-third of plate empty. Spread basil pesto around empty edge of each plate. Place 4 arancini per plate on top of pesto. Enjoy!

Tomato Pappu & Beerakaya Bobbarla Koora + Brown rice

Tomato pappu:

Boil the following in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles:

• 1 cup toor dal
• 3 medium sized tomatoes 
• 5-7 garlic pods
• 3-4 green chillies
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• few drops of cooking oil
• 2 cups of water

After the dal is cooked, add chilli powder, tamarind extract (optional), and salt to it. Add tadka (oil + mustard seeds + cumin seeds + 3-4 dried red chillies + curry leaves) to the above mixture and simmer for 10 min and take it off the stove, and serve with rice.

Beerakaya bobbarla koora:

Soak bobbarlu (small red beans) for 4-5 hours.

To be continued...