Fare Exchange: Cauliflower turns ‘magical’ in this roasted chickpea dish

In town — or in countryside — this morning there are surely many households with growing children, where team players are needed to get all the jobs done at home and other workplaces. One of those reported this week.

“We got this new thing — an air fryer. Now what?”

Now what indeed. This corresponding father got one idea from Nicholas Sparks, of all people, quoted in the news in a story titled “Nicholas Sparks Eats Roasted Vegetables at 5 a.m.”

Here’s the author’s plan, for vegetables like broccoli and asparagus and zucchini. “Grab a handful. Throw it in a little plastic zipper baggie. Add a little olive oil, shake it up. Add salt, pepper, a little garlic powder, Italian seasoning, whatever you’re in the mood for. Dump it into the air fryer. Hit the button.” Corresponding Father is going to need some more specific help. “And recipes, please.”

Fare Exchange is we-love-local-themed, but today we also love Pennsylvania. Jaan Ingle Troltenier writes, “I hope folks in Chattanooga enjoy this as much as we do here in West Chester, PA.

“This recipe fulfills two requests from your column in one: It is made with a sheet pan, and it is vegan (also diabetic-friendly). Something magical happens with cauliflower, oven roasting and curry powder.”

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry Bowls

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon salt plus 1/4 teaspoon, divided

1 medium head cauliflower (1 3/4 pounds), cut into florets (8 cups)

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed

1 ¼ cups water plus 2 tablespoons, divided

⅔ cup quinoa, rinsed

4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons tahini

1 teaspoon lime zest plus 1 tablespoon lime juice (or use lemon juice and zest)

1 clove garlic, minced

⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

1 small eggplant cut into chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk oil, curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add cauliflower and chickpeas; toss to coat. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender and browned in spots, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/4 cups water, quinoa and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork. Stir in spinach, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk tahini, lime (or lemon) zest, lime (or lemon) juice, garlic, pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. (If tahini is thick, use a small blender to make the sauce. You want a pour-able sauce.)

Divide the quinoa mixture among four dinner bowls. Top with the cauliflower-chickpea mixture and a drizzle of the tahini dressing. Add a couple of beet slices for color in your bowl.

The discussion of simple vs. fancy desserts continues today with Texas Transplant, who found a stellar recipe on Food 52. It’s simply one layer, no icing.

Food 52 says, “This recipe has also been served ‘at breakfast in muffin form, and they’ve been known to turn it into a birthday cake, layered with mascarpone buttercream.'”

“Do not fear olive oil in a dessert. Since it’s the primary flavor in the cake, use one that you’d be happy featuring in a salad dressing. A fruity type will complement the Grand Marnier and orange zest in the batter, while a peppery, grassy kind will create a wonderful savory contrast. It’s really a matter of personal taste.”

This one’s “exceptionally simple” — except for the crowning ingredient, Grand Marnier.

Olive Oil Cake from Maialino Restaurant in New York City

Olive oil cake at its best has a crackling crust and an aromatic oil-rich middle, which, if it held any more moisture, would be pudding. Pulling this off should be easy; there aren’t even egg whites to whip and fold, or butter to cream.

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup (350 grams) sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/3 cup (285 grams) extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/4 cup (305 grams) whole milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/4 cup (60 grams) fresh orange juice

1/4 cup (55 grams) Grand Marnier

Mix together some wet ingredients in one bowl, dry ingredients in another. Tip the combined mixture into a cake pan, and boom. You’ve got a foolproof, good-no-matter-what cake. No butter softening or egg whipping or mixer wielding necessary. And because of all the moisture in the batter, there’s not even the slightest chance of the cake overbaking and drying out.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Oil, butter or spray with cooking spray a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep. Line the bottom with parchment paper. (If your cake pan is less than 2 inches deep, divide batter between 2 pans and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes.)

In a bowl whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest and juice and Grand Marnier. Add the dry ingredients; whisk until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely, 2 hours.

Variations from Food 52 subscribers: Because our community loves this cake so much, they’ve found ways to make it their own. They’ve swapped out some of the all-purpose flour for almond meal and cornmeal; they’ve used infused olive oil for an even more pronounced punch of flavor; they’ve used other liqueurs in place of the Grand Marnier, to give the cake a slightly different personality; they’ve even added cocoa powder, espresso powder and matcha powder (separately) to the batter to give it a whole new groove. Mix-ins, too, aren’t part of the original cake’s deal, but chopped nuts, chocolate chunks or chips, or freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries would all be spectacular. You can’t go wrong any way.

No going wrong here, fare companions – and please return next Wednesday.