Potato & Cauliflower Puree

Just simmer together some cauliflower & potato, blitz it up and that's it...Potato & Cauliflower Puree. Simple, easy, but tastes like it comes from a restaurant!

In fact, this puree was inspired by a meal that I shared with my husband at a restaurant in the Hunter Valley, NSW recently. We had dinner at Emerson's Cafe & Restaurant, and we chose the 8 course degustation menu - yes you read correctly - 8 courses! Peter & I are big fans of a degustation (very small portions, with optional matching wines), because you get the opportunity to try so many different things that you wouldn't necessarily pick for a whole meal, and always immaculately prepared down to the smallest details.

It has definitely broadened our horizons when it comes to eating - but as for cooking - a degustation is a food bloggers dream! (I am not on the Emerson's payroll by the way!)

One of the GORGEOUS courses had a cauliflower puree...SOOOO good...

So when I got home (actually before that) I was on a mission to make my own variation at home, and for you!

A great alternative to regular mashed potato - and not difficult at all, in fact surprisingly easy AND super tasty - definitely Chef Not Required material! I have also included an optional cauli bacon crumb which is in the photo.

Lee-Ann ♥

PS: Stay tuned for another recipe inspired by that same degustation - Five Spice & Orange Duck Ragu - and it tasted divine with the Potato & Cauliflower Puree that I just so happened to have finished photographing that day! A great combination.

Such a tough job...

More potato recipes you may enjoy:

Parmentier Potatoes - golden little nuggets of cubed potato, oven baked until they are crispy then sprinkled with a rosemary and lemon salt.

Suggested main dishes for this recipe:

Savoury Mince  - this is a rich, full flavoured savoury mince recipe that the whole family will enjoy for an easy weeknight dinner!

Pesto Lamb Cutlets with Prosciutto - maximum flavour for minimal effort. Tender juicy lamb cutlets coated in basil pesto then wrapped in prosciutto - yum!

Lamb Goulash - slow-cooked shredded lamb in a rich sauce of paprika and capsicum (peppers).

Osso Buco with Mushrooms - melt in the mouth veal with an rich mushroom sauce/gravy.

Red Wine & Garlic Lamb Shanks - Meltingly tender red wine lamb shanks with meat that falls off the bone, smothered in a red wine and garlic sauce. Food heaven!

Beef Carbonnade - beef, mustard, and onions are slow cooked in beer for a tender, melt-in-you-mouth stew that you want to eat all year round!

Potato & Cauliflower Puree

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Just put it all in the pot & simmer it, then blitz it up - done! Also with an optional cauli bacon crumb.

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Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4 as a side

Calories: 460kcal

Author: Lee-Ann Grace

Ingredients

• 450 g cauliflower cut into florets & reserving any "crumbs" - usually 1 small head (see notes)
• 450 g sebago potatoes any potato you usually mash, cut into about 1 to ½ cm (½ ") cubes
• 2 plump garlic cloves peeled, cut in half and centre core removed
• 200 ml pure/pouring cream - 45% milk fat (see notes)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water + more if needed (see notes)
• 2 tablespoon & 1 teaspoon salted butter - separated extra to serve
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoon fresh parmesan - finely grated extra to taste and serve
• 1 rasher bacon - finely chopped optional
• 2 tablespoon fresh breadcrumbs optional

Instructions

• Place cauliflower, potatoes & garlic in a medium to large saucepan.
• Add cream, stock & water to veg - top with more water if needed to just cover the veg.
• Bring to the boil, once boiling turn down to a simmer, and simmer for 10 mins or until vegetables are tender enough to be pierced with a knife while still in the pot.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower, potato & garlic to the bowl of food processor, or to a bowl if you are going to just mash them (see note) allowing most of the liquid to drain off each spoonful and reserving the liquid.
• Process until veg is starting to puree.
• Add butter, salt & about 2 - 3 tablespoon (1 tablespoon at a time) of the cream/stock mixture (see note) and then keep processing until the mixture reaches a puree.
• If you would like your puree smoother at this point you could pass it through a fine sieve - the finer the sieve, the smoother the puree.
• Add parmesan, mixing to melt & combine.
• Meanwhile, if making the cauli bacon crumb to serve, heat the extra teaspoon of butter in a small non-stick fry pan.
• Add bacon, breadcrumbs & any reserved cauliflower "crumbs" and fry over medium high heat until crisp.
• Sprinkle the puree with the cauli bacon crumb, extra parmesan and top with extra melted butter if you wish and serve.

Notes

When you are cutting up the cauliflower, divide any large florets in half or thirds, to help it cook at the same time as the potato.

The cream in this recipe is optional - I made it both with and without when testing out the recipe. I found that the actual creaminess of the puree was pretty similar in both, the big difference was the taste rather than texture. The cream tends to blend with the cauliflower for a smoother, richer tasting puree. The choice is yours, but personally I like it with the cream.

When adding the cream/stock mixture to the processed veg, you want to add it gradually 1 tablespoon at a time. The idea is to add enough liquid to achieve a puree, but without it being too runny. The more liquid you add, the smoother (but runnier) the puree will be. It also depends on how much liquid was still with the veg when it was transferred to the food processor/bowl for blending.

A food processor is definitely preferable, but if you don't have one you could simply mash the veg with a potato masher because it is so soft, but I would check the softness of your garlic pieces before you start - in case they aren't as soft as the other veg. You don't want garlic chunks.

*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*