Whenever my beautiful and incredibly kind mother-in-law, Lolly, would come to visit us, there was one dish which she always requested. Cheesy Cauliflower Mash.
Don’t get me wrong, Lolly had a weakness for sweets. She especially had a fondness for strawberry shortcake and lemon bars.
But, for some reason she also loved this dish. I’m not really sure why. Maybe it was just so different from anything she made herself or had eaten before.
We miss Lolly every day, but we think of her always and especially when we eat the Cheesy Cauliflower Mash. This recipe is for you, Lolly. We love you and feel you smiling here with us.
To make Lolly’s Cheesy Cauliflower Mash, I start by washing and then dicing one head of cauliflower.
I place in a stock pot on the stove with chicken stock (alternatively, you could use vegetable stock) to cover (about 6 cups) and bring to a boil and turn down to simmer. I cook it down until the cauliflower is super fork tender for about 30-45 minutes.
I then drain the cauliflower in a colander. reserve the stock and refrigerate for a later use. It’s super tasty to use when steaming rice as an alternative to water.
I place the cauliflower back into the pot with 4 TB of butter, 3/4 cup of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard.
Using my potato masher, I press down and create a mashed potato consistency. Then, I add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
I topped the cauliflower with snipped chives from my herb planter and a dash of smoked paprika.
The final result is a creamy, cheesy delight that’s a consistency between Macaroni and Cheese and mashed potatoes.
Super simple, incredibly tasty, vegetarian, gluten and carb free!
I hope you enjoy Lolly’s Cheesy Cauliflower Mash and please give her a smile when you taste that cheesy goodness!
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