Cauliflower and Almond Pizza Crust with Fresh Sauce and Greens

I was going to call this recipe ‘Cauliflower Pizza Kitchen’, but a) I was worried that California Pizza Kitchen might have spies that read obscure blogs and decide to sue me for whatever they might sue me for (name infringement? besmirching?); b) Miss R pointed out that not everyone knows what CPK is and therefore would not get my dubious play on words; and c) well, it didn’t make sense. So, once again, a cumbersome yet descriptive title from yours truly. I really should get better at this.

Trawling around on the Internet, as one does, you see all kinds of ‘pick me, pick me’ recipe names: some very elegant and poetic, often English translations of Chinese recipes, such as golden sands corn or ants climbing a tree. Others are decidedly odd – pockmarked old woman’s beancurd (mapo tofu – a huge favourite of ours. My version posting soon), limping Susan (“a less able-bodied cousin of Hoppin’ John“), and garbage, which seems to cover a lot of culinary bases  – as pie, snack mix, bread, beef dish, something you cook in, etc. The latter, along with some other humdingers, are posted on taste of home.com, with others still on epicurious.

And while the rest of the world has the occasional strangely named food or dish, the British really take the biscuit, so to speak: spotted dick, toad in the hole, moggy (!!), stargazy pie, lobscouse, fat rascals. I could go on. One of my ‘new’ favourite weirdly named recipes is for the Scottish dish ‘rumbledethumps’. I always thought it referred to a type of little cake, like a rock bun (odd name, tasty morsel). But no, Karen at Lavender and Lovage set me straight as it is in fact potato, cabbage, cheese and chive gratin. So, a poshed up version of another mad-monikered dish many of you will have heard of, bubble and squeak.

And so almost to the prosaically named cauliflower and almond pizza crust with fresh sauce and greens. Like a lot of you reading this I have been trying a wee bit to get a handle on carbohydrate intake. Without boring you rigid the issue with carbs is not the carbs as such but the amount and type we eat: most of us consume far too many processed, refined grain products (and sugars) and too little plant fibre. It is easily done. I don’t want to spend this post banging on about balancing blood sugar, losing weight and all the rest that cutting  back on carbs can bring. Instead I refer you to a previous post on the subject and to these articles from livestrong, Harvard School of Public Health and Time (Healthland)  to read at your leisure, if you like. For information on the health benefits of cauliflower and vegetables of a similar ilk, I refer you to the world’s healthiest foods webpage (love this site) and a wee bit on broccoli from my orecchiette with purple sprouting broccoli (etc) post from March.

I recommend in my classes that we all try and have a serving of cruciferous vegetables  every day, and a hefty size serving at that – about a good double-cupped handful. A slice of this pizza won’t completely count as a serving, obviously, but having a piece with a salad containing watercress and rocket, or with some stir fried kale (with some yummy garlic) would give you a powerful punch of cancer-fighting phytonutrients such as indole-3-glucosinolate (which converts to I-3-carbinol) and some heavy-hitting antioxidants, especially beta-carotene.

Cruciferous vegetable family: cauliflower (including the above romanesco – yum), broccoli (all varieties), cabbages (all), turnip greens and other ‘nippy’ greens such as mustard, watercress, rocket/arugula, bok choy, choi sum, Chinese leaf. Even radishes, turnips, swedes and parsnips are cruciferous. But the standout vegetable for anyone wanting to maximise their intake of disease preventing nutrients has to be kale. All hail, kale. And incidentally, cruciferous veg are a dieter’s go-to food,so if you need to gain weight make sure and eat yours with something more calorific.

My recipe is inspired by my friend Conner’s pizza base recipe from her book,  Zest for Life (remember, that was a giveaway a while back). In her recipe she combines flaxseed and almonds to make her base, while I’ve just used almonds. I also include cauliflower, which I have seen in a number of pizza base recipes, but they always included cheese, which I didn’t want to use. I thought I would have to go through a few test batches but luckily this recipe seemed to work first time. I guess you will be the judge of that though. I am linking up this recipe to Fabulicious Food’s Family Friendly Friday roundup, so please check out the undoubtedly more family friendly recipes on this link. Also linking to Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, where you will find loads of amazing recipes.

What is the weirdest recipe name you have come across? Did you try it? And what is your wackiest pizza topping? Miss R once had snails (we were in France, naturally)…

Cauliflower and Almond Pizza Crust with Greens and a Fresh Tomato Sauce 

Pop everything into the food processor and briefly whiz together until amalgamated. You now have ‘dough’. To use, press the dough as thinly as you dare onto a baking paper lined tray, making whatever shape you like – freeform-oblong is good for me, and less daunting to form than a square or circle. I first of all scatter medium cornmeal/polenta onto the paper to add some the crunch, but it’s not necessary. Pop this into a 180/350 degree oven oven for 20-25 minutes while you get on with assembling your toppings. Once the crust has firmed up and coloured spread over your toppings and bake at 200/425 for a further 10 minutes, or flash under the grill if the crust is quite thin. Magnifico!

raw 'dough'

baked and ready for toppings

Stir fry the above until the wild garlic is wilted and the mushrooms have lost their moisture. You may want to do the mushrooms separately but I tend to start the mushrooms first and then add the rest.

Assembling: Take the firmed up crust out of the oven and spread lightly with the tomato sauce and then lay over the cooked greens and mushrooms. Top with torn pieces of fresh mozzarella (lightly squeeze between some paper towels first) or firm ricotta and scatter over any extra herbs/olives/capers/chilli flakes you like. Pop back in the oven until the crust is very golden/browning and the cheese has melted – about 10 minutes. Serve with a fresh watercress and rocket green salad or some steamed/stir-fried greens. Serves 3-4. 

topped and ready for baking