Nashville Hot Fried Cauliflower with Dill Pickle Slaw

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Craggy, deep-fried cauliflower florets brushed with a screaming-hot cayenne-and-brown-sugar frying oil, piled on soft bread with a tangy dill pickle slaw. The batter gets its buttermilk tang from pickle brine and soy milk, so it stays entirely plant-based without giving up a single crunchy edge.

Ingredients

• 5 cups green cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
• 3 tbsp dill pickle brine
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 lb), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
• 1/4 cup dill pickle brine
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

• 1/2 cup hot frying oil (reserved from the pot)
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 8 slices soft white sandwich bread
• 16 slices dill pickle chips

Instructions

1. Make the slaw first so it can soften: in a large bowl whisk the 3 tablespoons pickle brine, cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the cabbage, carrot, chopped pickles and dill and toss well. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes, tossing once, while you fry.
2. Cut the cauliflower into 2-inch florets with a flat side where possible, so they sit steady in the oil. Pat them completely dry with a towel — wet florets shed batter.
3. Whisk the wet batter base in a medium bowl: soy milk, 1/4 cup pickle brine and hot sauce. It will look slightly curdled, which is what you want.
4. In a second large bowl whisk the flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper and baking powder. Scoop 6 tablespoons of this dry mix into the wet bowl and whisk smooth; it should coat a spoon like thin pancake batter.
5. Pour the frying oil into a heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium to 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer, about 10 minutes. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
6. Working with 5 or 6 florets at a time, dip each in the wet batter, let the excess drip off, then press it into the dry flour mixture, packing on a thick shaggy coat. Squeeze gently so the crust clings.
7. Fry in batches of 5 or 6, never crowding, for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and a paring knife slides into the stem with no resistance. Keep the oil between 335°F and 350°F, adjusting the burner between batches. Drain on the rack and salt lightly right away.
8. Once all the cauliflower is fried, whisk the cayenne, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a heatproof bowl. Carefully ladle 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil (still around 325°F) over the spices and whisk until glossy and smooth — it will sizzle and bloom.
9. Brush the hot oil generously over every floret with a pastry brush, or toss the cauliflower in a big bowl with the oil for a heavier coat. Work fast while everything is hot so the crust drinks it in.
10. Lay the bread on plates, top each slice with pickle chips and a mound of hot cauliflower, and serve the drained dill pickle slaw alongside or piled right on top. Eat immediately, while the crust is still shattering.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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