RECIPE: The BETTER Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Note to self: when you wake up from a nap with a food idea (Hmmm... I wonder what that under-used potato ricer would do for the cauliflower?!)... OH, JUST TRY IT FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

Trust those instincts... or am I the only one that wakes up with food ideas?!

I do believe this version of the 'mashed cauliflower' recipe is better than the previous one... so scratch the other one. OK, you can make the other one if you want... but I like this one better.

So, join me half way through the process here. What you see below is cauliflower that has been boiled. And I'm getting ready to drain it.


And these are the 'tools' you will need... a large bowl, a measuring cup and a potato ricer. (And yes, I'm convinced... the potato ricer is THE most under-used kitchen tool - but OH SO WORTH IT!)


In the picture below you will see the "press" that pushes the food through the "ricer" at the bottom of the cup.

I put about a cup worth of boiled cauliflower into the cup and first pushed out water, gently.

Once cauliflower started to come through the bottom I moved to the large bowl and firmly pressed out the rest of the cauliflower.






Then I loaded up the cup again and repeated the process until all of the cauliflower was riced...

See all of that water that got pushed out of that cooked vegetable? You want to save this... because you might want to add some back to the mash to bring it to the consistency you want. But at least your cauliflower won't be all runny...

Then we move on to the flavor that will be added... sour cream, butter, nutmeg, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and salt/pepper.

Mix everything into the cauliflower...

If you think it needs it, add a little bit of water... just a touch. Mix well. You can always add a little more water if you want to... so a little bit at a time.

And there you have it.... what I now consider my best version of mashed cauliflower.

And shhh... my hero-of-a-hubby still thinks he's eating mashed potatoes!

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Recipe courtesy Lori Tisdale

Ingredients
4 cups cauliflower
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons light sour cream
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Kosher salt/pepper to taste

Instructions
Boil cauliflower until well done, in well-salted water. Drain and add 1 cup of boiled cauliflower to a potato ricer. Over a 2 cup measuring cup, first press the water out of cauliflower. Once the water is out, press the cauliflower through the ricer (into a large bowl). Continue until all of the cauliflower has been pressed through the ricer. Save some of the drained water in case you want to add some at the end. Transfer the riced cauliflower to a hot saucepan. Add butter, sour cream, garlic powder, nutmeg and mix well. Stir in parmesan cheese until it is melted. Add salt/pepper to taste. And now is when you would add some of the drained water if you feel it would improve the consistency of the "mash". Serve hot.




enjoy your time in the kitchen...