This really is a recipe for the Christmas table.
Pillowy dumplings resembling baubles; colours of red, white and green; and festive flavours of mustard, feta, meat and cranberries.
As for the venison – my dad hunts deer, so venison sausages often make the Christmas feast (usually on the babrbecue, as is typical of a kiwi Christmas!).
The dumplings are much like gnocchi – rather than using potato, this recipe uses cooked cauliflower which is then blended with feta for flavour and a creamier texture. Flour is then added, the dough is kneaded, then shaped into balls and cooked.
What I really love is the rich and nutty sauce; lots of butter, mustard, silverbeet for bite and cranberries for chew. The butter gives the dumplings a beautiful glossy sheen. It’s a Christmassy dish alright – but definitely not traditional!
This recipe was first published in the Taupo Herald 22/12/2022. I contribute recipes on a regular basis to this local publication, which will also be shared here on my website. Keep an eye out on each week’s publication for my newest recipes!
Cauliflower & Feta Dumplings with Venison Sausage and Mustard Butter Sauce
Course: Mains, Recipes, Sides4
servings1
hour10
minutesThis dish brings together some of the my favourite flavours for a Christmas meal; venison, feta, mustard and cranberries. It’s a great sharing plate for the table, as guests can spoon as many dumplings as they feel like onto their plate.
Ingredients
- Dumplings
450g cauliflower, separated into florets
75g feta
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
- Mustard Butter Sauce
50g butter, divided
1 large onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 good quality venison sausages
Large handful silverbeet
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
- To make the dumplings, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add cauliflower, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
- Drain, then transfer to a tea towel and wrap tightly. Hold over the sink and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Transfer cauliflower to a blender along with the feta and egg. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, add flour and salt, and gently mix. Transfer to a clean work surface and knead only until the dough comes together.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Using oiled hands, rip off golf ball sized amounts of dough and roll into balls. Add to the boiling water (cook in 2-3 batches so as not to overcrowd the pan) – the dumplings will rise to the surface when cooked. Remove cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate while you cook the rest.
- When dumplings have cooked, add silverbeet to the pot of water and cook for 5-7 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a sieve to drain.
- Meanwhile, make the mustard sauce. Melt half of the butter over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Squeeze roughly 2-3cm portions of sausage meat out of the casing and add to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until nicely browned all over. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes, until golden and caramelised.
- Add cauliflower dumplings to the pan along with remaining butter, dried cranberries and mustard. Allow butter to melt and toss to combine. Remove from heat and stir through salt and silverbeet. Serve warm.