THE BEST CAULIFLOWER MASH EVER

THE BEST CAULIFLOWER MASH EVER

I know, there are probably at least half a million cauliflower mash recipes out there. So why bother posting another one, right?

Well, because firstly, it’s always nice to have options. The more, the better, me thinks.

And secondly, well, when I say this is The Best Cauliflower Mash Ever, I really mean this is The Best Cauliflower Mash Ever.

What sets it apart from the rest, you ask? Quite simply: the texture! (oh, and the flavor is pretty darn spectacular too, if you ask me!)

Every single time I’ve seen or been served cauliflower mash in my life, I found it to be on the soft side and even downright runny sometimes. No offense if you like yours that way, but that just doesn’t cut it for me. If I’m gonna eat something that pretends to replace my dearly missed mashed potatoes, let it at least have a similar mouth feel to that of the dish I used to cherish. This version does it so well, I think I almost prefer it to the real stuff… honestly.

Unfortunately, there’s only one way to achieve that and it would be by, you guessed it, squeezing the water out of the cauliflower before to puree it!

HA! My favorite activity in the whole wide world. NOT! But to get a cauliflower puree that thick, that creamy, that velvety, THAT delicious? I say taking the extra step is very well worth it.

As is the case with any other cauliflower mash recipe, you need to start by cooking the cauliflower. I’m a big fan of steaming mine. To do that, simply place the cauliflower florets into a steam basket and cook it over salted boiling water until it gets really tender, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes.

You’ll then want to let it cool slightly. Not too much, though. No one wants to eat cold cauli-mash!

Now for the fun part! Let the squeezing begin!

I borrowed a few pictures from one of my previous posts, my Creamy Cauliflower Fritters, to illustrate how I like to squeeze the water out of my cauliflower. I use a stainless steel bowl that fits very snuggly inside my sieve, and I use it to push down on the cauliflower until not a drop of water comes out. It works wonders!

If you couldn’t find such a bowl, you could also use a ladle, or a small unbreakable plate.

Really squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower as you possibly can. Break it up and move it around a few times while squeezing. You’d be surprised how much water is still left in there even after you think you’ve removed it all.

Transfer the now dry cauliflower to the bowl of your food processor and add mayo, ghee, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Process until smooth and creamy; you might want to stop once or twice to scrape the sides and make sure you get every last bit.

See how thick that puree is? Just the way I like it!

Now there’s only one thing left to do: serve your delicious cauli-mash with a little dollop of ghee and a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs.

Here’s a tip for you: if like me you enjoy eating your puree really piping hot, throw it in the microwave for a few seconds before to serve it. It’ll make even it fluffier!

Oh, and I don’t think I need to tell you what to serve this with. It goes good with just about anything!

Except maybe for pie… maybe!

THE BEST CAULIFLOWER MASH EVER

Serves: Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2 large heads cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 1.5kg | 3lb total)
¼ cup paleo mayo
¼ cup ghee (or make your own)
½ tsp Himalayan salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
generous grating nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the cauliflower florets into a steam basket and cook over salted boiling water until really tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower as you possibly can, then transfer it to the bowl of your food processor.
Add mayo, ghee, salt, pepper and nutmeg and process until smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape the sides as needed.
Serve piping hot with a little dollop of ghee and chopped herbs.