My Roasted Cauliflower Mash is a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Roasting the cauliflower and the garlic intensifies the depth of flavor in this dish. I’ve also added spices that are both earthy and smoky in flavor. I’m going out on a limb here by saying this dish is life-changing!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time for the Garlic: 35 to 40 minutes
Cook Time for the Cauliflower: 25 to 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (10-cup) food processor, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, chef’s knife, 1 (1-quart) saucepot, chef’s knife

Ingredients for the Roasted Cauliflower Mash:
1 to 2 heads of cauliflower (2 pounds) broken into florets (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole head of garlic, roasted
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
2 tablespoons of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly-grated
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, extra for garnish
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
1/3 cup of heavy cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted and melted
Garnish:
2 tablespoons of fresh chives, minced

Instructions for the Roasted Garlic:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut a head of garlic lengthwise, leaving the head intact with all the cloves connected. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper. Drizzle each half with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Wrap each half in foil and place onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place into the oven on the top rack. Roast for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, begin checking the garlic. The garlic is done if the center clove is completely soft when pierced with a paring knife.

While the garlic is roasting, start prepping the cauliflower.

Instructions for the Roasted Cauliflower:
Adjust oven temperature to 450°F.
Cut out the core, then break the cauliflower into large florets. Spread them out onto two baking sheets in a single even layer. Sprinkle on 1/2 a tablespoon of the ground cumin, the remaining kosher salt, fresh-ground black pepper, and the remaining olive oil. Toss the cauliflower florets all around with your hands to make sure they’re all really well coated.

Remove the garlic from the oven. Allow to cool down for 10 minutes. Carefully open the hot foil packet, allowing the garlic to cool down enough to handle.

Place the cauliflower in the center position of the oven, and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and tender. Double-check by pricking the florets with a pricking knife to see if they’re nice and tender. If they need a few more minutes, leave them in, but keep your eye on them.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the roasted cauliflower florets. Squeeze the softened roasted garlic into the processor. Add the remaining ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,  melted butter, and heavy cream. Blend until smooth and mashed potato-like. Taste the cauliflower mash; if needed, season with additional kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

To serve, spoon the Roasted Cauliflower Mash into a porcelain serving bowl. Garnish with a sprinkling of smoked paprika and finely chopped fresh chives.

There you have it, my Roasted Cauliflower Mash.

Note:
1) For a deeper golden brown and more caramelized garlic flavor, extend the roasting time.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/