{Recipe} Cheesy Smashed Cauliflower

This may be weird, but I grew up with a Grandmother who hated potatoes.  She would not eat them in any form: fried, mashed, baked, cheesy or plain.  This made for some creativity on our family’s part when it came to Thanksgiving dinner.  Because as Bobby Flay recently found out, you cannot have Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes!!  {Sorry but I’m a huge fan of Throwdown on the Food Network, and an even bigger Ree Drummond fan—a.k.a. Pioneer Woman.  She just schooled Bobby on the finer points of Thanksgiving and won the Throwdown last week.  Way to go Ree!!}  Anyway…this recipe from Erin may fit the bill for your non-potato loving guests this year.  It’s adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe.

Cheesy Smashed Cauliflower

1 cup chicken broth

1 large head cauliflower

1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup Boursin cheese or 1/3 cup other garlic & herb      spreadable cheese

1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese or 1/4 cup romano cheese

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chives, chopped

Add chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil (one turn of the pan) to a deep pot.

Trim away greens and stems from the base of cauliflower. Cut away the core with a sharp paring knife. Set cored head into pot with broth.

Cover pot and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook cauliflower, covered, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Uncover the pot and let some liquid cook off as you smash the cheeses into the cauliflower.

 

As the mixture thickens, turn off heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in chives and transfer cauliflower to a serving dish. Enjoy!!