Baked Cauliflower with feta, dill, onions; Firinda Karnabahar Mucveri
Inspired by the delicious Zucchini/courgette fritters with feta; Mucver, as we call it in Turkish, this time I made this wonderful dish using cauliflowers. Rather than frying, I baked the cauliflower florets flavored with feta, dill, onions in the oven. The result has been equally delicious and lighter in flavor, served with a refreshing wedge of lemon aside.
I love cauliflower’s firm texture and you can flavor it easily with herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. During our Culinary tour to Turkey a few years ago, we made the cauliflower fritters with feta and dill at our Aegean style cookery class in Sirince; they were scrumptious with garlic yoghurt aside. Here is also my YouTube video on how to make this lovely Baked cauliflower dish:
Stir in the chopped red onions, spring (green onions), parsley, dill, olive oil and the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl along with the cauliflower florets.
I am happy to report that baking rather than frying works very well in this dish. It is easier, lighter and still packed with flavor. Dill, parsley, spring onions, red onions pack a punch and flavor the cauliflowers very nicely, along with feta cheese. You can add some red pepper flakes to the mixture for a pleasant heat, if you like. There’s also no need to cook the cauliflowers beforehand.
You can serve this baked cauliflower florets with Cacik dip of yoghurt with cucumber and garlic or the Shepherd’s Salad; it would make a delicious lunch or light supper with crusty bread and wedge of lemon aside. Baked Cauliflower with feta, dill, onions, Firinda Karnabahar Mucveri would also accompany grills well – delicious hot or cold.
Baked Cauliflower with feta, dill, onions; Firinda Karnabahar Mucveri
If you enjoy wonderful hot and cold mezes, vegetables cooked in olive oil like this dish and more, I have included a large variety of vegetarian courses in my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies are now 25 % OFF at this link and delivered worldwide including the US, for a limited time. We also have this seasonal Ozlem’s Turkish Table apron, with the embroidery of my hometown Antakya’s celebrated daphne leaves in the design. It can make a lovely gift, if you like to order here.
Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem
- 1 medium cauliflower (about 850 gr), cut into small florets
- 180 gr / 6 ½ oz. feta cheese, drained and crumbled
- 4 tbsp. / 60 ml all purpose (plain flour) – use gluten-free flour for gluten-free version
- 3 medium eggs, beaten
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 3 spring (green) onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Small bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped
- 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 10 ml/ 2 tsp. red pepper flakes or chili flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Wedges of lemon to serve
- 22 cm x 22 cm (7”x7”) baking dish recommended
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F
- Cut the cauliflower in small florets, wash and drain the excess water in a colander/sieve.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
- Place the drained cauliflower florets in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped red onions, garlic, spring (green onions), parsley, dill, olive oil and the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl.
- Season with salt, ground black peppers and chili (red pepper flakes). Using your hands, combine all the ingredients. At this stage, you can check the seasoning – add more salt or peppers to your taste.
- Stir in the beaten egg and flour to the cauliflower mixture and combine well.
- Grease your baking dish with 15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive oil and pour in the mixture to the baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven (180 C / 350 F) for 25 – 30 minutes, until the cauliflower florets have a nice light brown color on top.
- Slice and serve hot with a wedge of lemon and crusty bread aside. Cacik dip of yoghurt with diced cucumber and garlic or Shepherd’s salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onion in lemon juice and olive oil dressing would go well with this delicious dish.
