Mashed Cauliflower With Cheese

Photo: flickr user norwichnuts

Ingredients

Salt

1 large head cauliflower, cored, trimmed, and separated into florets

1 cup milk or cream, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups grated white melting cheese, like cheddar, Asiago or Gru

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Chopped parsley leaves for garnish

Preparation

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 a cup of the cooking water. Wipe the pot dry.

Put the milk, butter, and cheese in the pot over medium-low heat. Sprinke 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.

Stir in the cauliflower and mash with a fork or potato masher; stir well to combine. The mixture should be the consistency you like in mashed potatoes. If its not creamy enough, add a little of the cauliflower cooking water or more milk or cream until it is.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish and serve.

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About

From Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." About this recipe he says, "This is one dish taht came out of the low-carb diet craze that is actually worth making. The diet set touted this dish as a mashed potatoe substitute because of the fluffy, creamy texture. But I think it's great as a vegetarian main dish, with other vegetables--and yes, some bread or cooked grains!--on the side. Use any good melting cheese you like here or all Parmesan for a less creamy, fluffier version. (Other vegetables you can use: Broccoli.)"