PORTLAND, Maine — Bo Byrne has worked in some of Maine's best kitchens and is now the owner of T.O.P. Dog. He is also a teacher at Southern Maine Community College's Culinary school. He stopped by the 207 kitchen to share his recipe for Israeli Fried Cauliflower with Labneh Cheese.
What you will need:
- 1 head of cauliflower broken into florets with a small paring knife
- 3 cups of vegetable oil
- Medium Large Stock Pot
- Candy Thermometer
- 3 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. mint
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Cheese cloth.
- Container to drain
- wooden spoon
Directions:
Labneh Cheese
- Take yogurt, place into cheesecloth, and tie into a bundle that can hang from a spoon resting on a container to drip
- In 36 hours the liquid will be drained from the yogurt leaving a cream cheese consistency in the cheesecloth, perfect for Labneh
- add honey, white balsamic vinegar, and mint
- stir
- Set aside for plating.
Fried Cauliflower
- Add vegetable oil to stock pot
- Heat on medium until candy thermometer reaches 350F
- Cauliflower can be cut into florets by first removing the root/core from the bottom and then slicing between the natural stems.
Pieces cut too small may burn quickly. - Drop florets of cauliflower into the heated oil
- Scoop out with a strainer onto a paper towel-lined plate
- season with salt and pepper.
To Plate:
- Smear Labneh cheese onto the center of the plate and add cauliflower directly on top.
- Garnish with microgreens and radishes
- Crispy shallots add a nice crunch if you have them