Love & Lemons - 02 / Nov / 2020
Cauliflower Parsnip Mash with Roasted Garlic
A non-traditional spin on mashed potatoes. In this recipe, the parsnip flavor is pretty prominent (in other words, it's not hidden!). For this reason, be sure not to skimp on the olive oil and sea salt - they help balance the earthiness of the parsnips.
Ingredients
- 5 medium parsnips (1 lb) peeled & chopped into 1-inch chunks*
- 1 medium head cauliflower (~2 lbs), broken into pieces (w/cores)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (I used 1 teaspoon)
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced rosemary
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Roasted garlic (use 4 to 5 cloves in the mash; save the remainder for another use)
- 1 head garlic
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut a ¼ to ½-inch slice off the top of the whole head of garlic to expose the cloves and place cut-side up on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper and wrap in the foil. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and tender. Ideally, keep the garlic cut-side-up in the oven.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the parsnips for 10 to 12 minutes or until fork tender. Scoop into a blender. In the same water, boil the cauliflower for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fork tender, and scoop it into the blender.
- Add 4 to 5 cloves of the roasted garlic to the blender along with the olive oil, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Blend, using the blender baton to push down the contents, and blend to a smooth consistency. If necessary, add a bit of water or broth to get the blender moving, but do so sparingly so the puree doesn’t become too thin. Taste and add the additional ½ teaspoon of salt, if desired (I did).
- Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the rosemary while the mash is still warm. Add a drizzle of olive oil, more pepper, if desired, and serve hot. See make-ahead/reheating instructions in the notes below.
Notes
*Once the garlic is roasted it has a sweeter, more mellow flavor than fresh raw garlic. If you use fresh raw garlic, use 2 cloves in this recipe (not 4 to 5) and let it boil in the water for a few minutes with the cauliflower to take out the raw bitter taste. I highly recommend sticking with the roasted garlic for this recipe.
This recipe reheats very well - the flavors become more integrated and delicious the next day. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or microwave and stir before transferring to a serving dish.
This recipe reheats very well - the flavors become more integrated and delicious the next day. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven or microwave and stir before transferring to a serving dish.
