Meatless Thursdays: Ad Hoc's Curried Rice & Cauliflower

Today is not Meatless Monday, but it is my 20th wedding anniversary (I know, I look young, I got married at 12).

If I would have served this meal for dinner early on in my marriage, I would've been in divorce court the next day. "Where is the main meal?", would've been the $60,000. question.

What was really being asked was, "where is the meat?".

My husband has since "modified" his diet (or I have!). He is still a meat & potatoes loving carnivore, but since we have seen his cholesterol drastically change by DIET alone, after one year of adding vegetarian meals to his diet, he is on board.

He also added high fiber foods, omega 3 supplements (fish oil,) and lost 5 lbs.

Go figure.

Divorce? I don't think so, not if I have anything to say about it.



Here is a GREAT recipe from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Restaurant in California. It's not printed in his book, so you won't find it there. It comes by way of the L.A. Times Best Restaurant Recipes of 2009.

I served it for dinner and it was hearty enough for a main meal, but you can certainly serve it as a great side dish (which is what the restaurant does).

It tastes like a good Chinese vegetable fried rice.
The recipe calls for Carolina Long Grain Rice, which I happen to have hiding in my cupboard, and drying it out in the oven.



Ad Hoc's Curried Rice w/ Roasted Cauliflower: (adapted from the L.A. Times)

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
olive oil
kosher salt
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions)
1 cup of Carolina Long Grain rice
1 tsp hot red pepper flakes
6 cups water
2 tbps butter

On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets w/ olive oil and kosher salt.
Roast in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan, so the pieces get caramelized all over.

While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the rice.

Boil the 6 cups of water in a saucepan w/ a tablespoon of salt and the hot pepper flakes. Add the rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Test a piece of rice to make sure it is cooked.

Using a strainer, drain the rice and place it on a sheet pan or in a baking pan. You are going to dry it out in the oven.

Once the cauliflower is done, add it to a large bowl and toss with a tsp of curry powder.

Bake the rice (or dry it out) for 5 minutes on the sheet pan, then add it to the bowl w/ the cauliflower.

Add the 2 tbsp of butter and the green onions and combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.



It doesn't get any easier and I love finding new ways to use my favorite vegetable.

This recipe is a keeper, and so is my husband.