Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Mash

My husband is a meat and potatoes man. The problem is that I try to limit the amount of potatoes we eat and that isn’t necessarily a popular move in our house. So I came up with an alternative that was very well received; Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Mashed “Potatoes.” It is a winner, if I must say so myself. The dish does require a couple of steps, but it is worth the work. I consider this the gourmet version of steamed cauliflower mashed up to look like potatoes.

Step 1: You will need one whole cauliflower and one whole head of garlic. Remove some of the outer paper from the garlic head, but make sure it stays together. Don’t touch the root end.

Raw cauliflower and garlic

Step 2: Cut the stem from the cauliflower and cut into florets. The closer the florets are in size, the more evenly they will cook. Inevitably some pieces will be larger or smaller than others. That’s not a biggie.

Cauliflower florets

Step 3: Now we prep the garlic for roasting. When you roast garlic, it loses its sharpness and develops a very mellow flavor. You may want to roast several heads and use the excess garlic in other dishes. Cut across the top of the garlic and expose the flesh at the top of the cloves. Place the garlic head on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap it up tightly.

Trimmed garlic

Garlic ready for wrapping

Step 4: I put my cauliflower in a bowl and toss it with olive oil and salt. I use my hands to massage on the oil so the cauliflower is well coated. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan (with sides).To help with clean-up, I line the sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil that I have sprayed with PAM. I also place my wrapped garlic on the sheet pan.

I roast the cauliflower in a preheated 425 F degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, turning once mid way. To check if the cauliflower is done insert a sharp knife into the stem. It should slide in easily. Depending on the size of your florets it may take longer to cook.

Cooked cauliflower

Step 5: The next step is to remove the garlic skins from the cloves. This is easy but a little messy.When you unwrap the garlic packet you will see some browning on the cloves. Break the head into the individual cloves, pick up a clove and squeeze the garlic out of the cut end. It should slide right out.

Roasted garlic

Removing the cloves

Step 6: Lastly, place the cooked cauliflower and garlic into a food processor. You will probably need to add some liquid to get a mashed potato texture. I add some ghee (clarified butter) and a little organic milk. I process it and taste for seasoning; adding salt and pepper as needed.

Processing cauliflower

Step 7:  The cauliflower has usually cooled down after pureeing. I transfer it to a bowl and reheat in the microwave when it is time to serve. [You can make this ahead and reheat.] The brown specs are the caramelized cauliflower and garlic. Yum.

The finished product

 

I hope you like this as much as we did.

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

The measurements in the recipe are a little vague because cauliflower varies in size. Use your best judgement on how much butter and milk to add depending on the consistency you like.

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 head garlic, top removed and wrapped in tin foil with 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for tossing cauliflower prior to roasting
• 1 tablespoon ghee or organic butter
• 2 to 4 tablespoons organic milk (or milk substitute will work fine)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet that has been covered with foil or parchment paper and sprayed with PAM.
2. Cut top off of garlic, place on aluminum foil and drizzle with one teaspoon olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil. Place on the baking sheet with the cauliflower.
3. Roast in a preheated 425 F degree oven for 30 minutes; turning once half way through the cook time. Check for doneness by inserting a knife into the stem. It should enter easily and not encounter any resistance. If the stalks are still tough, continue cooking and check every 10 minutes.
4. Place cooked cauliflower and garlic cloves that have been slipped from their skins into a food processor. Puree. Add milk (or milk alternative) and butter (or ghee) and puree again until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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