Let's face it, there isn't a person alive who thinks cauliflower is a sexy vegetable. Today I saw recipes for Halloween Brains Dip using cauliflower as the storage container. Ewwww!
Well don't fret my little foodies! I have a simple way to fix it that I guarantee you'll love. It involves Parmesan and butter, which begs the question: How bad could it be??
Go ahead, be brave and buy an entire head of cauliflower at the store! For those of you who only purchase prepackaged veggies, here's what a "whole cauliflower" looks like ;-) Yes, you can use prepackaged cauliflower but it won't be as fresh.
Wash that puppy, peel/snap off the leaves and large stem. You'll want to use a knife to get the core out of the middle. Once this is done, snapping off the florets is easy. Steam them or nuke them, it's up to you. I prefer steaming them only because I can check them for tenderness easier than in the microwave.
While they are steaming, grate about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese with a microplane and have 2-3 Tbsps of butter handy. Once the cauliflower is done, mash it, puree it or take an immersion blender to it, just get it to the consistency of mashed potatoes. It doesn't matter if you like them smashed or creamy, either way will work. Once mashed add the cheese and butter, blend well. Salt to taste. Go easy on the salt though as the cheese is a bit salty all by itself. If you like it creamier and calories aren't a concern, you can add cream, milk or more butter, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
It's also pretty tasty cold! It's not exactly colorful but makes up for it in flavor. Next time I'll throw in some chopped chives for color and bite. Simple side dishes can really elevate a mundane main course. This cauliflower side really does the trick!
NOTE: If you want to take it a step further and really impress, mix some panko bread crumbs with softened butter. Put the pureed cauliflower in a buttered baking dish and top with the crumb mixture. Bake at 375-400 until the crumbs are golden brown. It will only take a few minutes to brown so watch it! Serve that puppy up!
Well don't fret my little foodies! I have a simple way to fix it that I guarantee you'll love. It involves Parmesan and butter, which begs the question: How bad could it be??
Go ahead, be brave and buy an entire head of cauliflower at the store! For those of you who only purchase prepackaged veggies, here's what a "whole cauliflower" looks like ;-) Yes, you can use prepackaged cauliflower but it won't be as fresh.
Wash that puppy, peel/snap off the leaves and large stem. You'll want to use a knife to get the core out of the middle. Once this is done, snapping off the florets is easy. Steam them or nuke them, it's up to you. I prefer steaming them only because I can check them for tenderness easier than in the microwave.
NOTE: If you want to take it a step further and really impress, mix some panko bread crumbs with softened butter. Put the pureed cauliflower in a buttered baking dish and top with the crumb mixture. Bake at 375-400 until the crumbs are golden brown. It will only take a few minutes to brown so watch it! Serve that puppy up!
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