Recipe: Paleo Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan & Truffle Oil
Like pancakes and whipped cream, I never knew I would miss mashed potatoes until I went Paleo. They were always just sort of eh for me--I'd eat them if they were in front of me, but I really never went out of my way to make them myself.
The other day I bought a head of cauliflower with no real idea of what to do with it, so I decided to cook it quickly and blend it up in an attempt to serve a mashed potato-like dish at a dinner party Rob and I were hosting. I threw some truffle oil in and finished it off with Parmesan, and the result was simultaneously sophisticated and totally comforting. A perfect winter dish!
Paleo Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan & Truffle Oil
Ingredients:
- One head of cauliflower, washed and chopped
- Six to eight cups of water for cooking
- One clove of garlic
- 1/2-1 teaspoon truffle oil
- Two tablespoons of grass-fed butter
- A splash of full-fat coconut or almond milk (optional)
- Several tablespoons of Parmesan cheese (also optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for about ten minutes, or until the florets are fork-tender.
- Remove from heat, drain water and set cauliflower aside for the moment. (If you're using a blender, you can blend the cauliflower now. Otherwise it's going back in the pot to be mashed with an immersion blender or a simple wooden spoon.)
- Over medium heat, saute the garlic in a bit of the butter. Turn off heat and return the cauliflower to pot. Add the rest of the butter.
- With an immersion blender, blend the cauliflower until it is at your desired lumpiness/creaminess. If it's too thick, feel free to add a splash of coconut or almond milk (or more butter, I won't judge you).
- Season with salt, pepper, and truffle oil--do the truffle oil a bit at a time as it can easily become overpowering.
- Transfer mashed cauliflower to an oven-safe dish, top with Parmesan, and place in the oven on broil to brown the cheese (it only takes a few minutes--stay there and watch it to ensure it doesn't burn). Serve and enjoy!
