This is one of my favorite tried and true recipes. Whenever I find a bargain-priced cauliflower at the market, it's sure to appear on the dinner table in some version of Cooking Light's recipe, usually with the addition of mushrooms. And why not? The added flavor from either first-of-the-year golden chanterelles or reconstituted boletes is certain to add another depth of flavor to the dish.
Does it seem too early to add fresh chanterelles to a July recipe? Not here in the refuge! In a rainy year like 2017, we typically encounter our first chanterelles mid-July: compact and dense and a delightful surprise!
This year's persistent rains brought us an astonishing
abundance of Douglas Iris in May
along with a fruiting of chanterelles in July.
Cooking Light's Fusilli With Curried Beef and Cauliflower (with handful of our early chanterelles)
1 cup no-salt-added beef broth
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 pound lean, boned sirloin steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups small cauliflower florets
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup of sliced chanterelles, our first of the year buttons
4 cups hot cooked fusilli (about 8 ounces uncooked twisted spaghetti)
- Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, and saute 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from skillet, and set aside.
- Wipe skillet dry with paper towels. Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add cauliflower and chanterelles (if using); saute 3 minutes.
- Add water; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes.
- Return meat to skillet; stir in broth mixture and peas. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring gently.
- Serve over pasta.