Alaska News

Alaska from Scratch: Cauliflower -- garlicky, mashed and delicious

Before I sat down to write this, I took to my social media pages to hear what the readers think about cauliflower. The verdict is in: They absolutely love it! They love it steamed, roasted, raw, with cheese, in salad, with dip and … mashed! Three cheers for cauliflower.

I was cautiously optimistic that I could win my children over to the cauliflower cause with this garlicky mashed version. When I put this side dish on the dining room table, my daughter declared, "Yay! Mashed potatoes!" She took a big bite and said suspiciously, "Hey, there's broccoli in here!" I had to laugh out loud. Then I told her she was very close and that it was actually cauliflower she was eating.

While the mock mashed potato trick didn't fool anybody at our house, we enjoyed these regardless -- fluffy and flavorful, and nutritious too. If you're trying to cut back on carbs or find creative ways to eat your vegetables, this recipe is a great option.

Garlic mashed cauliflower

Yields about 4 side-dish sized servings

1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon cream cheese

2 tablespoon parmesan, freshly grated

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1 small clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Chives, finely sliced

Butter, for serving

1. Set a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, clean and cut your cauliflower. Boil the cauliflower 6-7 minutes until tender all the way through. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.

2. To a food processor, add the cauliflower, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with chives and butter.

Adapted from the Food Network

Maya Evoy lives in Nikiski and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com. Have a food question or recipe request? Email maya@alaskafromscratch.com and your inquiry may appear in a future column.

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