Meet Chef Ruby Felix-Curtis Of The Fox & Falcon
“That’s how I fell in love with this industry—discovering all those flavors that are around me. That’s how I started with cooking.”
Ruby Felix-Curtis, executive chef at The Fox & Falcon, South Orange
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
TUMERIC OIL
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced shallot
THAI GREEN CURRY SAUCE
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal (or fresh ginger), peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon prepared frozen or bottled lemongrass (available at Asian grocery stores)
- 1 to 3 jalapeño peppers, sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into flat (2-inch-thick) slices
- Ground sumac
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crispy shallots, homemade or store-bought, for garnish
- Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Preparation
To make the turmeric oil: In a small pan, slowly heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the turmeric, ginger, garlic and shallot. Turn off the heat as soon as the aromatics become fragrant. Let the oil sit for about 10 minutes, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and set aside. Discard the solids.
To make Thai green curry sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of the turmeric oil in a sauté pan. Add the shallot, garlic, galangal and lemongrass and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the jalapeño, cumin, white pepper and coriander and let the spices bloom for 1 minute or until they release their beautiful aromas.
Mix in the lime juice, brown sugar, coconut milk and ½ cup of water. Add the cilantro, basil and salt and simmer for 15 minutes or until the flavors of the ingredients come together and the sauce has thickened and reduced.
Purée the sauce in a blender until smooth. Taste and season with more salt as desired.
To make cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, and pour in 2 tablespoons of the turmeric oil.
Drizzle the cauliflower slices on both sides with a little of the remaining turmeric oil, and season with sumac, salt and pepper to taste.
Increase the heat under the skillet to high. Working in batches, place two or more cauliflower slices in the hot skillet and cook them on one side for 3 minutes, until browned. Flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer the browned cauliflower to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cauliflower slices.
Make sure the browned cauliflower is arranged in a single layer on the baking sheet, then transfer it to the oven. Bake the cauliflower until fork tender.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and arrange the slices on a platter or individual plates. Spoon the sauce over top, garnish with the pomegranate seeds, cilantro and crispy shallots. Serve the cauliflower as is, or, to make it a meal, serve it with steamed rice.
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