Cauliflower Puree
Pureed cauliflower is light, simple and pure. It may not replace mashed potatoes or other starch in your Shabbat meal, but it will certainly be close competition. I started making this many years ago, when our daughter went on a ketogenic low-carb diet. Now it doesn’t feel like Shabbat without it.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
- cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower. Peel off all the green leaves, but don’t throw them away. Ever. Chopped in rough pieces, roasted in a hot oven with olive oil, salt and garlic—cauliflower leaves are one of nature’s great flavors. (Or use with chicken, below)
- So: To a large pot, add cauliflower and garlic. Add water to reach about 1/3 up the the vegetable. Bring to a boil, cover, and let boil until cauliflower is extremely tender, about 25 minutes. You can test it by poking it with a fork, which should slide in easily.
- Remove from heat. Drain and reserve the water. If you have an immersion or stick blender, use it to start pureeing the vegetable, adding the olive oil, salt, pepper, and enough reserved water to make a smooth puree. You can transfer everything to a blender and do the same. The key is don’t stop until the olive oil is emulsified and the mixture is silky and airy. Adjust the seasoning and keep warm until serving.
Notes
Hard times call for easy Shabbat meals. This is a delicious, simple menu that can be conjured from items that — for now — are still easy to come by: chicken, cauliflower and greens. Combine with a challah and wine, and no one will feel deprived. Just the opposite: the pure flavors and natural ingredients take advantage of the season we’re in, even if we’re spending most of that season inside.
The recipes are below. If you want to see me actually cook them, live, join me at 2:30 p.m. PDT April 24 on the Instagram account of the Forward’s newest food contributor, Elana Horwich. Elana is a cooking teacher, TV presenter and the author of the 2019 book “A Meal and a Spiel.” She’ll be in her kitchen, me in mine, and you, I hope, in yours. Join us at @elanahorwich
