Mashed Cauliflower
I love eating cauliflower. I usually boil it and eat it with sour cream. It makes for a delicious side dish and a healthy snack. I never imaged that I'd be eating it mashed perhaps because I've never come across this in any of the restaurants that I've been to. Never even seen people I know make it either.
One day my mom made mashed cauliflower for dinner. She asked me to try it but I declined the offer thinking it wouldn't taste good. Turned out that my assumption was wrong. I tried the mashed cauliflower in the end and it was delicious. I ended up making it myself the following week. I am not sure how my mom made hers but I made mine with butter, dried basil, and roasted sesame seeds. It was delicious.
I have to say that mashed cauliflower makes for a great substitute for mashed potatoes. I will be making it time and again just to switch things up and liven up the dishes I create.
Below you will find my mashed cauliflower recipe. I hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- butter
- dried basil
- salt
- roasted sesame seeds (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the large cauliflower under running water and separate it into smaller pieces... Place them in a pot of boiling water, add a desired amount of salt, and boil until the cauliflower is tender but not too soft.
- Once the cauliflower is ready remove it from the pot onto a large bowl. Then take a food processor, add a handful of the cauliflower to it, close the lid, and press power. Let the cauliflower process (using the knife attachment) until it is mashed (creamy)...
- Once the cauliflower is done processing remove it into a large bowl and repeat the same procedure for the rest of the cauliflower. Do not place too much cauliflower at once as you may end up with chunks of cauliflower.
- Once all of the cauliflower is processed and mashed (creamy) add a few small pieces of butter and stir. Then sprinkle with dried basil and roasted sesame seeds and stir. You are now ready to eat.
Ways to Enjoy Mashed Cauliflower
There are many ways to enjoy mashed cauliflower. You can eat it as a side dish along with your favorite cooked fish, meats, and sausages. You can also eat it by itself with a salad on the side or with sautéed vegetables.
I love eating it with a tomato/cucumber/onion salad. To make this salad all you need is a tomato, a cucumber, some sliced onions, salt, and sour cream. Some fresh dill or parsley (fresh or dried) will go great with the salad. You can even add some dried cranberries.
As for sautéed vegetables I love sautéed zucchini with tomatoes, onions, celery, and carrots. Sometimes I make sautéed bell peppers with onions, carrots, and celery. For both of these dishes I add a mix of ketchup with a little bit of aji mirin (sweet rice cooking seasoning). It really adds to the flavor of these dishes. Eating these two dishes with the mashed cauliflower is a mouthwatering treat.
I have not seen mashed cauliflower in restaurants, let alone with sautéed vegetables on the side. But it very well should be on restaurant menus. It is that good.
Take a chance. Give mashed cauliflower a try. And have some sautéed vegetables or a tomato/cucumber/onion salad to go along with it. You won't regret it!
Have you ever tried mashed cauliflower?
© 2012 Lena Kovadlo
