Last night, we made a delicacy to behold.

Homemade sushi.  But look really close at it.  Do you notice anything different about it?  Anything…odd?

How about that rice?

Can you imagine that that innocent looking, delicious and dreamy nori-wrapped delight is in fact hiding cauliflower, instead of grains?

Neither could I.  However, I tell you, as a lover of all things sushi. that these cruciferous dreamboats have fulfilled every maki fantasy I’ve had.  You know, those fantasies that say, “I’d eat all the sushi in the world, if it were solely made of vegetables?”

Well, here it is, folks. Fantasy complete.

This treatment was inspired by The Primal Palate and Mama Pea’s “Paella” but I feel pretty proud the outcome and the creativity that went into these rolls. I’m getting there, friends!

Cauliflower Sushi

Dairy-Free, Nut-free, grain-free, gluten-free (w/ gf soy sauce) sugar-free, corn-free, vegan option

Prep-time: 15-30 mins, depending on number of rolls

Cook time – 5 minutes

Total time: 20-35 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Recipe by Kat Reiner

Ingredients:

• One head cauliflower
• 8 sheets nori
• 1 organic cucumber
• 1 organic avocado
• Smoked or raw salmon, sashimi grade tuna, cooked tuna – whatever your favorite fillings are
• Gluten-free low sodium soy sauce
• Rice-wine vinegar
• Optional ginger and wasabi (ginger adds sugar)

Directions:

1. Grate cauliflower in the medium grate size of a cheese grater so it turns into rice-resembling pieces.
2. Sautee cauliflower in a little olive-oil for five minutes over medium heat. Set aside and put into bowl.
3. While cauliflower is cooling, chop and peel cucumber, avocado, and salmon into thin strips.
4. When cauliflower is cooled, mix it with 1-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar.
5. Wrap a makisu (sushi mat) with saran wrap. This may take a few tries. Be patient. It doesn’t help to throw the saran wrap.
6. Keeping your fingers wet (a small bowl with water helps) take a piece of nori and lay it on your sushi mat.
7. With a spoon, spread the nori with a thin layer of “sushi rice”, about 3/4 of the way. Make sure to cover the edges well.
8. About a quarter of the way in, add your toppings in a thin row.
9. Re-wet your fingers, and roll your mat and nori up and over the toppings.  Tuck the nori in.
10. At this point, you can pretty much use your fingers to roll the sushi, being careful to keep your fingers moist, as that cause the nori to cling.  When at the end, wet your fingers again to seal.
11. With a sharp knife, slice the sushi roll into 6-8 pieces.

Repeat, enjoy, dip into soy sauce, top with ginger or wasabi, do whatever floats your boat.  It’s delish.

Let me know your thoughts!