Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic & Goat Cheese

I have come to the conclusion that many times when people claim they don't like to eat certain vegetables, it really means they probably have never had it prepared in a way that would appeal to them. With so many different options and recipes available on how to turn an otherwise boring vegetable into a showstopper, it makes it hard to believe that an aversion against a certain food couldn't be overturned.

I think Cauliflower is a great example. By simply steaming the vegetable you end up with a "blah" version that can be kind of tasteless, but because of its mild flavor it can also be extremely versatile and lend itself to a lot of different and tasty applications. Recently there has been a surge in popularity for cauliflower. The florets are low in fat and carbs, high in fiber, folic acid and vitamin C, which makes this vegetable a winner in my book. If you perform a quick search, you can find an amazing variety of recipes. They range from roasted cauliflower, gratins, soups, dips, faux alfredo sauces and even pizza crust. While I've tried quite a few of these different versions, cauliflower pizza crust is still one that eludes me, but I will never say never.

A few weeks ago I made Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups for my family with great results, so  I decided to experiment a little more and came up with this delicious mashed version. I started with a basic recipe, but by adding sweet, roasted garlic along with tangy and tart goat cheese, the dish was elevated to a whole new level. I achieved the desired consistency with my food processor, but an immersion blender or even a good old fashioned potato masher should do the trick as well. I served this with grilled steak and a big side salad, but ate leftovers with a couple of over-easy eggs the next day and had to restrain myself from licking the plate. So tasty, so simple, and most definitely one of my new favorites.  

Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic & Goat Cheese
~makes 5-6 servings~
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
5-6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 medium head)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
8-10 roasted garlic cloves (see notes)
4 Tbsp. soft goat cheese
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. green onions, chopped

Directions:
Roast garlic (see note), remove cloves from skin and set aside.

On the stove-top, add cauliflower to a pot, fill with about 4 cups of water. Add the vegetable bouillon cube and steam/cook cauliflower until soft. Drain the cauliflower and add to a food processor.

Process cauliflower along with the roasted garlic cloves, goat cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/8 tsp. nutmeg until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, check for additional salt and pepper and fold in 3 Tbsp. of the green onions. Sprinkle with additional reserved onions and serve immediately.

Notes: To roast the garlic, preheat oven to 400° F. Take one whole garlic bulb and cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top. Lay on a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the head of garlic, drizzle with about 1 tsp. of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Wrap it in the foil and roast in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until garlic is soft and golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes before handling. Use your fingers or a fork to squeeze and pull roasted garlic out of the skin. 

If you don't like the taste of goat cheese, cream cheese would also be an acceptable substitution.

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe

Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups

Hi there, is this blog still on? I know, it's been forever and a day since you heard anything new from me, but a breather was much needed for my sanity. I won't be making any big promises about a regular posting schedule, but will say that I intend to keep popping in here when I have something interesting to share. Like today.

I came across these Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups while thumbing through the newest Costco magazine. Let me tell you that they could have fooled anyone in my house. Unless you know that the filling has cauliflower in it, you could have mistaken it for mashed potatoes. I'm happy to report that they were gone in a flash and we all thoroughly enjoyed them. 

Low-carb, gluten-free AND tasty, I don't think you can go wrong with these cute little appetizers. Serve them with a salad for a simple meal or as appetizers for a party. They might even make a great addition to your Superbowl Sunday menu. Go Seahawks!!!

Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups

~Makes about 24~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

24 slices Canadian bacon

4 cups cauliflower florets

1 vegetable bouillon cube

4 Tbsp. sour cream

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

3 Tbsp. green onion, chopped

Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Very lightly grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. Line each cup with a slice of Canadian bacon.

On the stovetop, add cauliflower to a pot, fill with about 2 cups of water. Add the vegetable bouillon cube and steam/cook cauliflower until very soft. Drain the cauliflower and add to a food processor.

Process cauliflower along with the sour cream, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper until well mixed and smooth. 

Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in the parsley and green onions. Taste for more salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Fill Canadian bacon cups with cauliflower mixture. Top each cup with cheddar cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

Slightly adapted from: Costco Magazine

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

Cauliflower happens to be one of my favorite vegetables. This is another vegetable that my mom had in her garden in abundance while I was growing up, so it was frequently on the dinner table. My mom had a few different ways to prepare it, but most of the time she just turned it into a simple dish of cauliflower in a white sauce with a hint of cheese. Most of the time she served it along with boiled salt potatoes and Schnitzel or Fleischkuechle (they are a mix between a mini meatloaf and a burger). I still love eating it this way, but I also like to cook today's "kicked up" version.

I found this recipe in my trusty "Ich helf Dir kochen" book which I received over 20 years ago from my parents. I've added a few of my own touches to this recipe over the years, which makes this cauliflower irresistible, at least for my family. I always start by cutting up the cauliflower into florets and soaking them in a big bowl of salt water for about 30 minutes. One reason why I do this is because, growing up and harvesting the fresh crop from my mom's garden (which is completely organic and without commercial fertilizer) it wasn't uncommon to find that a little snail or the like had made its way into the lettuce or cauliflower. The salt water kills them, and lets them float to the top for easy removal. It is probably not necessary to do so today, especially if purchasing the cauliflower at a super market, but sometimes old habits die hard.

The cleaned cauliflower is then cooked "al dente" in a big pot of salted water that has a bit of milk added to it. The milk in the water helps preserve the white color of the vegetable. Make sure you don't overcook the cauliflower as it tends to get a "soapy" taste if it is cooked too much.

A white sauce is then made by making a simple roux. Reserved cauliflower cooking water is added to the roux and seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg (very important!). Freshly grated Swiss cheese is added, and the mixture is stirred until smooth. This is poured over the cooked cauliflower into a casserole dish and more Swiss cheese is sprinkled on top prior to baking.

Just like my mom, I love to serve this with boiled Yukon Gold potatoes. Sometimes I add a bit of chopped up ham to the cauliflower casserole for an easy fulfilling meal, but usually I serve it with some kind of protein on the side. Everyone loves this dish, and since cauliflower is on sale quite frequently for less than a dollar, it also makes for a fairly cheap meal. If you haven't had cauliflower in a while or only know it overcooked with a pat of butter on it, you should give this version a try, you won't be disappointed.

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower

10 cups salted water

1 cup milk

For the cheese sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups reserved cauliflower cooking water

1 cup milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 vegetable bouillon cube

3 tablespoons heavy cream

6 ounces grated Swiss Cheese, divided

Directions:

Clean and cut up the cauliflower into florets. Rinse or use method described above.

Bring saltwater along with 1 cup milk to a boil in a large pot. Add cauliflower and cook on medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes or until "al dente". Drain, making sure to reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the cheese sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add your reserved cooking liquid along with the additional cup of milk making sure to whisk constantly as you do so. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, and bouillon cube and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally or until thickened.

Add heavy cream and 4 ounces of the Swiss Cheese and stir until combined making sure not to bring the mixture to a boil.

Butter a casserole dish and add the cauliflower. Pour cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with reserved Swiss cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes in preheated oven, or until the dish is heated through and nicely browned.

Adapted from: Ich helf Dir Kochen