Nacho Mashed Cauliflower | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

Mashed cauliflower has a reputation problem, and it's earned. Done badly it's a sad, soupy bowl of nothing pretending to be potatoes. Done right it's a rich, savory, faintly funky mash that stands on its own and doesn't need to pretend to be anything. The difference is two things: getting the water out, and Everything But The Nacho Seasoning going in at the end. Four ingredients, one pot, twenty-five minutes.

• Yield: 4 as a side.
• Time: 25 minutes.
• Storage Notes: Keeps 4 days covered in the fridge. Reheats better than it has any right to.
• Difficulty: Very Easy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets, stem included and roughly chopped.
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated on the coarse side.
• About 3 1/2 Tbs Everything But The Nacho Seasoning, plus more for the top
• A splash of heavy cream or whole milk, only if you need it

DIRECTIONS

1. Steam the cauliflower in an inch of salted water, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until a knife slides through a thick piece with zero resistance. Undercooked cauliflower will not mash; it will shred. Go further than feels right.
2. Dry it out. Drain hard, then return the cauliflower to the empty hot pot over low heat and let it sit, uncovered, for 3 or 4 minutes, shaking occasionally. You'll see steam coming off it. This is the whole recipe: cauliflower is more than 90% water, and every bit you drive off now is a bit that isn't diluting the butter and cheese later. Skip this step and you get soup with ambitions.
3. Mash and enrich. Off the heat, add the butter and mash with a potato masher for a rustic texture, or hit it with an immersion blender for something smoother. Add the cheddar in two handfuls, stirring until it disappears into the mash. It should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright.
4. Season last. Stir in about 3 1/2 Tbs of the seasoning and taste. It's going in at the end on purpose: the cheddar, lime, and cilantro in the blend are the flavors you'd cook out over 15 minutes of heat, and there's enough salt in there to season the whole pot. Only now, if it's stiffer than you want, add a splash of cream.
5. Pile it up, dust the top with more seasoning, and eat it hot.

NOTES & VARIATIONS

Too thick, too thin. Cauliflower varies. If the mash is loose, back to the pot over low heat for a few minutes; if it's stiff, cream a tablespoon at a time. Do not add water.

Roast it instead. Toss the florets in oil and roast at 425F until browned at the edges, then mash. Nuttier, deeper, less clean.

Make it the main event. Spread it in a shallow baking dish, top with more cheddar and a heavy dusting of Everything But The Nacho, and broil until blistered. Now it's a dip, and it will not survive the table.

Half and half. Swap half the cauliflower for russet potatoes if you're feeding skeptics. Nobody has to know.

The applications from here are endless: under a seared steak, beside braised short ribs, spooned into a bowl with a fried egg on top at eleven at night. But make it the plain way first, thick and hot, and see how little it needs.