Recipe courtesy of Floyd Cardoz

Cauliflower Puree with Chestnuts

  • Yield: 6
Over the years, I have noticed many Thanksgiving meals feature cauliflower as a side. This particular preparation feels perfectly festive for the holiday, and the turmeric adds some nice color to the white vegetable.
Advertisement

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower Puree:

2 1/2 pounds cauliflower

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 small dried red chile, broken in half

1 cup thinly sliced shallot

1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic

Scant 1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled ginger

Scant 1/4 cup thinly sliced mild to moderately hot fresh green chile

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 scant cup diced plum tomato

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

For the Chestnuts:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons thinly sliced peeled ginger

1/4 pound bottled roasted whole chestnuts, halved crosswise and sliced (about 10)

Kosher salt

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. Break the cauliflower into large florets. Trim off and discard the tough outer layer of the core, then cut the tender inside into 1 1/2-inch pieces. 
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy 6-quart pan over moderate heat until it shimmers. Add the cumin seeds and dried red chile and cook, shaking the pan, for 1 minute. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger, and fresh green chile and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Stir in the turmeric, tomato and salt to taste. 
  3. Stir in the cauliflower and stock and cover the pan. Simmer gently until the cauliflower is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (It's important that the cauliflower cook slowly; otherwise, the liquid will evaporate too quickly, you'll have to add more, and the cauliflower will turn soggy.) 
  4. Puree the cauliflower mixture in a food processor in 2 batches until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  5. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over high heat and saute the ginger for 30 seconds. 
  6. Add the chestnuts, stirring and shaking the skillet, and season with salt. Saute the ginger and chestnuts until golden and caramelized and a little crisp around the edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer the ginger and chestnuts to paper towels to drain. 
  7. Reheat the puree over low heat and stir in the chives and cilantro. Serve the puree topped with the sauteed ginger and chestnuts.

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement