First off, I never ever thought I’d ever write anything about cauliflower. I’ve never really liked it; one of the few veggies I don’t care for. It's white, it’s coarse, and it’s just kind of funny. But my sister kept telling me about steaming and mashing it. “You’ve got to try the mashed cauliflower” she kept insisting. I thought ‘ok, fine for you but I’m not going to like it’. I’m not usually stubborn… about vegetables anyway, so I finally gave in.
Ok, I honestly can’t believe it. If someone served me steamed, mashed cauliflower I’d think ‘Wow, I wonder what herb or extra flavor is in these mashed potatoes?’ Really! We’ve had them twice now and I’m reconsidering planting potatoes this spring and planting cauliflower instead.
We’re trying very hard to watch our carbs around here and this is one solution that works great. Cauliflower is low carb, low calorie and a good source of fiber. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C and has Vitamin K and B6 among others.
I’m thinking I could add other flavors: garlic, curry or an infused olive oil instead of the butter. Try experimenting with mashed cauliflower and let me know what you think.
We’re calling it faux tatoes. Get it?? The recipe couldn’t be simpler.
Remove core and cut cauliflower florets into pieces
Place in large pot, preferably with steamer rack
Add an inch or so of water and cover pot with lid
Cook about 10-15 minutes or until very tender. Drain well
Add salt, pepper and 1tbl butter (optional)
Use stick blender to mash
Serve and enjoy! And do let me know what you think. Thanks!
********if you're interested in receiving notice of my posts via your email, I have moved the widget to the very top right corner of this post. It says: subscribe to janet's house. After clicking on it you will land on a page where you will go to the box on the right that says "Subscribe Now!" Scroll down to the little blue and white envelope that says:" Get janet's house delivered by email (it's the 2nd to last choice). Click on that and a window opens where you put in your email address, then you have to copy the squiggly word in a box and press complete. You will receive an email from feedburner to your email address. When you open it just click on the link and you're in.***********
OK more story-time: when my folks bought a huge Sears ColdSpot chest freezer used, from some elderly couple to put in in our basement, they trilled on and on about the FREE cauliflower in the freezer that these nice old people had just given to them. OK, the name sounded pretty to my childish ears ("flower"...right?) so I was introduced to this heinous-tasting vegetable and was properly horrified, as were my siblings. This was an insult to the tastebuds way beyond the regularly-served and wretched Santiam canned green beans. Next thing I know, the delight of getting potatoes, mashed, for once, on my plate and it wasn't even Thanksgiving, gives way to HIDDEN cauliflower, where my mother tried to disguise it to sneak it down our throats. That ended badly, is all I can say. I learned to enjoy cauliflower in college steamed with Tillamook cheddar melted on it. Everything goes better with cheese, right? Ding-dongs were the dessert with that meal, as I recall. I later discovered the joys of broccoflowers and such. Cannot eat them anymore as the cruciferous family is forbidden to those on warfarin. But the parrots still get some.
Posted by: Molly | 05/01/2011 at 05:56 AM