Apricot-Sesame Cauliflower Wings Recipe

In the Thrive Market test kitchen, we’re big fans of Chef Chloe Coscarelli (evidence here!). Her vegan recipes are so flavorful and creative, they instantly make anyone a fan—no matter what kind of eater they are. These cauliflower “wings” are straight from her latest cookbook, Chloe Flavor, and make the perfect appetizer to feed hungry friends on game day.

“It’s kind of like a fusion of buffalo chicken wings and orange chicken, so it’s a mega crowd pleaser. If you don’t like sweet food, this might not be the app for you. I, on the other hand, would prefer that all my savory food borders on the dessert cutoff, so I’m pretty much addicted to the sweet, sticky glaze that coats these wings.”
—Chloe Coscarelli

Apricot-Sesame Cauliflower Wings

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the glaze:
½ cup Crofter’s Biodynamic Apricot Jam
1 ½ tablespoons sriracha
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
1 tablespoon ketchup

For the cauliflower:
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1 cup rice flour
1 ½ cups of all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups ice-cold seltzer water, plus ¼ cup or more, if needed
Vegetable oil, for frying

For the garnish:
Sesame seeds
Thinly sliced scallions

Instructions

Make the glaze:
In a small saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients. Whisk over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until just boiling and thickened. Remove the pot from the head and set aside to cool.

Make the cauliflower:
Fill a large bowl with ice and tap water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the florets for 1 minute, then submerge them in the ice water. Drain the cauliflower and pat dry. In a large bowl, toss the blanched cauliflower with ½ cup of the rice flour and season generously with salt. Shake off the excess flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, remaining ½ cup of rice flour, the baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Season with black pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil and seltzer water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until it forms a thin better—some lumps are ok. Place the batter in the refrigerator until ready to fry.

Fill a deep, high-sided heavy skillet with about 3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350°F, or until a small drop of batter sizzles when added. One piece at a time, dip the cauliflower into the batter, letting any excess drip off. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, gently place the cauliflower in the oil—the oil should sizzle. Fry for 45 seconds to 1 minute, turning halfway through, until crispy and lightly browned on the outside. Drain on paper towels. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.

In a large bowl, toss the fried cauliflower with as much glaze as needed. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve.

Reprinted from Chloe Flavor. Copyright © 2018 by Chloe Coscarelli. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Christina Holmes. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.