SPICY CAULIFLOWER WINGS

Spicy Cauliflower Wings image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories appetizer

Time 1h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
4 to 6 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce, plus more for serving
2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
4 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch florets
Sliced pickles, for serving
Hot honey, for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 250˚ F. Set a rack on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Whisk the milk, eggs and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Stir together the flour, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper in another medium bowl. In a separate medium heatproof bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350˚ F. Working in batches of about 8 florets at a time, toss the cauliflower in the flour mixture, then dip in the milk mixture, then dredge again in the flour mixture, allowing the excess to fall off between each step. Fry until deep golden brown, carefully turning as needed, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the cauliflower with a spider or a slotted spoon and transfer to the baking sheet in the oven; keep warm while you fry the remaining cauliflower.
When all the cauliflower is fried, carefully ladle about 1 cup of the frying oil into the melted butter mixture and stir. (It will sizzle slightly.) Working in batches, add the fried cauliflower to the hot spiced oil, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a platter. Spoon 2 to 3 more tablespoons of the spiced oil over all the florets. Serve with pickles, hot honey and more hot sauce.