Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, the duo behind BOSH!, are adamant that going vegan doesn’t have to mean missing out on your favourite foods. It’s all about looking for clever alternatives with the same great flavour, minus the meat and dairy.
And if you’re the type of person who can’t go a weekend without chicken wings, try subbing in cauliflower instead. Let’s face it; the most important thing about wings is a decent spice and good crunch.
Cauliflower buffalo wings
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Bowl
- Baking trays
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 150 g plain flour
- 300 ml plant-based milk
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 100 g panko breadcrumbs
- 120 g dairy-free butter
- 200 g buffalo hot sauce
For the ranch sauce:
- 150 g cashew nuts
- 150 ml plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- handful fresh parsley
- 4 chives
Method
- Add the cashew nuts to a pan of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then strain and run under cold water to cool slightly. Set aside until needed later.
- Meanwhile, break the cauliflower into florets and cut the stem into bite-sized pieces.
- Put the flour, plant-based milk, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk to a batter. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into another bowl and rub them between your thumb and fingers to break into slightly smaller breadcrumbs.
- Tip the cauliflower into the batter and toss to coat. Transfer to the bowl of breadcrumbs, a few pieces at a time, and toss gently until well coated. Spread the cauliflower pieces over some lined baking trays and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the dairy-free butter in the microwave and stir in the hot sauce.
- After 20 minutes, remove the tray from the oven, pour over the hot sauce and carefully roll the cauliflower around until the pieces are fully coated. Put the tray back in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until a sharp knife glides into the thickest parts of the cauliflower and the outsides are really golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, put all the ingredients for the ranch sauce, except for the herbs, into the food processor or liquidiser and whizz for one to two minutes until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Finely chop the parsley and chives and add most of them to the sauce, reserving a little for garnish.
- Serve the cauliflower wings while they’re still hot on a serving plate, sprinkled with the remaining herbs and with the ranch dip on the side.
Nutrition
BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby is published by HQ, HarperCollins.
Wise Living Magazine may receive a small commission to help support the running of this site from purchases made from links on this page. Affiliate links do not influence our editorial or articles published by Wise Living.