Mashed Cauliflower with Gruyère

This is a great, quick, and simple vegetarian dish which could also be used as a substitute for mashed potatoes. It would also be tasty with broccoli. We ate it as a side dish with pork tenderloin with mustard-wine sauce and sautéed kale. This recipe is from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman. The consistency can easily be altered to personal preference. Delicious!!

• coarse salt
• 1 large or 1-2 small heads of cauliflower, cored, trimmed, and separated into florets
• 1 cup milk, plus more if needed (I used 1 percent)
• 2 T butter
• 2 cups grated white melting cheese such as Gruyère, cheddar, of Asiago
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• chopped parsley leaves for garnish, if desired

1. Fill a large pot with water, put it on to boil, and salt it. Boil the cauliflower until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving about one cup of the cooking water. Wipe the pot dry.
2. Put the milk, butter, and cheese in the pot over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Cook,  stirring occasionally to keep the mixture from sticking, until the cheese and butter start to melt, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cauliflower and mash with a potato masher; stir well to combine. The mixture should be the consistency you like in mashed potatoes. If it’s not creamy enough, add a little of the cauliflower cooking water or more milk until it is.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish, and serve.

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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