This might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m not the biggest cauliflower fan. I don’t dislike it, I’m just not going to gravitate toward cauliflower recipes and usually prefer it smothered sauces or cheese.
However, I definitely don’t want to discount it or avoid cooking with it altogether. That’s why I love this mashed cauliflower dish so much. The truffle and parmesan lends it great flavor, while the consistency is similar to mashed potatoes.
Topping it with meaty shiitakes and browned butter sage is the cherry on top. This is truly a vegetarian comfort dish that will make me happily scarf down some cauliflower.
cauliflower mash
Okay, this isn’t really so much a mash as it is a puree, but it’s basically the same thing. Boiling the cauliflower until it’s tender and then blending it along with some garlic, truffle oil, and pecorino cheese makes it light and fluffy and seriously so good, you could stop making the recipe and just eat it out of the blender.
If you don’t like the truffle flavor (which would be CRAZY!), you can always use a different oil here to get the same consistency but a more subtle flavor.
And then once I’m finished blending the cauliflower, I transfer it to a saucepan and set the heat on low to keep it warm while I work through the rest of the recipe. And then it’s nice and warm when you’re ready to eat.
mushrooms and sage butter
Once you’ve made your cauliflower mash, you’re going to move onto the mushrooms and sage butter. This part of the cooking process goes really quickly, and it’s super easy. You can use two different skillets here, but I usually use just one to keep the process fairly simple. And I don’t care if the mushrooms get mixed up with the sage butter.
You’re going to start by sautéing the shiitakes in a bit of oil until lightly browned. Transfer them to a bowl or plate, and then melt some butter in the same pan and add your sage leaves. Brown the sage for a few moments, flipping them occasionally, until they’re slightly crispy. Then, you can add the mushrooms back to the skillet to rewarm them, and once you’re satisfied with the browning, you’re ready to serve!
So, like I said, super easy. And if you’re a cauliflower skeptic like me, this dish is bound to turn you into a believer. I hope you enjoy, and if you take any photos for social, tag me at @thymetozest. Happy cooking!
⟶ the recipe
truffled cauliflower with shiitakes & sage butter
ingredients
1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons truffle oil
2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese
Salt and pepper
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
12-15 fresh sage leaves
Handful of arugula
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
30 minutes
4 servings
instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until cauliflower is fork-tender. Transfer to a colander.
Carefully, place the cauliflower, garlic, truffle oil, pecorino, salt, and pepper in a blender and puree until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat some olive oil on medium, and add the shiitakes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned, and transfer to a separate plate. In the same skillet, add the butter and sage leaves, and fry the leaves for a few minutes until lightly crispy.
Reduce heat to low, and re-add the mushrooms to heat through again. Remove skillet from heat.
Spoon the cauliflower puree evenly among 4 dishes. Make a well in the center, and add a spoonful of mushrooms to each dish. Drizzle with the additional sage butter, and sprinkle a handful of arugula to garnish each dish.
⟶ recipe notes
- I actually used jarred truffles I bought in Italy (I know, bougie) along with the oil in the jar. You can definitely also do that or use fresh truffle as well if you can find it! Truffle oil is the easier option, and while it’s pricey, it’s easy to find in stores and totally worth it for the incredible flavor
- If you don’t have a large blender for the cauliflower, you can either blend it in batches or use as immersion blender to emulsify directly in the pot
⟶ modifications
- Skip the pecorino and egg to make it vegan. Brown the sage leaves in olive oil instead of butter
