04/14/2017
Gabby’s Cauliflower Mache
What do you get when you combine a mash with a soufflé? A Mache, of course. This comfort food meets crowd pleasing side features cauliflower in place of potatoes, to lighten up an otherwise decadent Holiday dish. Let the Easter fun food begin!
Difficulty Level
Moderate
How much should I make?
This recipe feeds about 12 people
How long will it take?
One hour and 30 minutes- may be prepared up
to 3 days in advance and cooked just before serving
Gabby’s Special Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t overcook the cauliflower!
Do not use a ricer!
Do play with your food - feel free to improvise, and follow your taste buds- this is a very forgiving dish, so have at it and have fun!
Equipment
Any glass or ceramic baking dish from a 10" round, to a 9x11 oblong, will work
Hand held masher
Hand held grater
Extra large mixing bowl
Large non –metallic mixing spoon
Ingredients
(The ingredients are divided into 2 categories, wet & dry. The goal is to strike a balance, creating the ideal texture. You want the mixture to be stiff enough to hold its form. In other words, you should be able to form a loose ball. Add the raw egg at the very end- this way you can taste as you add. Start with these quantities, then add more to improve the texture and the taste.)
Fresh Cauliflower - (2) Heads cut into small florets
Bacon- (1) recipe “Mary’s slow cooked homemade bacon bits “(see below)
Wet Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter- 1 cup, cut into 8 pieces
Sour cream – ½ cup
Greek Yogurt – ½ cup
Cheddar Cheese- ½ cup freshly grated
Swiss cheese- ½ cup freshly grated
Eggs – (1) large, well-beaten
Dry Ingredients:
Panko – ¾ cup
Flat leaf Italian Parsley – ½ cup, chopped (no stems)
Grated Parmigiano/Reggiano – 1 cup
Kosher Salt
Finely ground black pepper
Instructions
Before cooking the cauliflower, gather all of the other ingredients and line them up on your counter.
Place the oversized mixing bowl out as well.
Set a colander in your sink
Grease your baking dish
Put the cauliflower Florets in a sauce pan and cover with water. Place the pan on a high heat on your stovetop. Place a small clean plate, a soup spoon, and some tongs nearby. It is important to watch the florets- they may not need to boil in order to come to the correct texture. After about 4 minutes, you can start “testing, removing one floret with the tongs and pressing on it with the back of the soup spoon. Check every 2 to 3 minutes. Once a floret crushes easily under firm pressure, remove from the heat and strain.
Drop the hot, strained cauliflower in the large mixing bowl, and working quickly; scatter all 8 pieces of butter across the florets. Add the sour cream and yogurt and begin to mash, using the masher to combine the ingredients as well. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl with a large mixing spoon.
Reserving the egg, combine the remaining wet ingredients, and begin adding the dry ingredients and the bacon to the mix, mashing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Once all of the ingredients have been added, begin tasting, and begin testing the consistency. Again, you don’t want this to be too dry, but the mixture should loosely hold its shape if you form a ball. Err to the wet side- a small increase in the cooking time will evaporate the extra moisture if need be.
Once you are happy with the flavor and the consistency, add the egg and mash again. Switch to a spoon and be sure your ingredients are fully combined. This mixture will not smooth out like mashed potatoes- the cauliflower will retain a small beaded texture, even when fully mashed. Spoon into the baking dish, and using the back of your mixing spoon, spread the mixture evenly.
This dish can be baked immediately, or stored up to (3) days in the refrigerator prior to baking (Store covered). If stored, remove from refrigeration, 1 to 2 hours before cooking. Bake on 400 degrees F, one hour, or until golden brown and bubbling.
Mary’s Slow Cook Home- Made Bacon Bits
Mary B is a Prep Chef I work with from Scottsdale Arizona. One day we were prepping for a large party, and I asked her to cook up several pounds of bacon. She asked me if she could use her own method, and I said sure. The slowness of this method requires some real patience, but the end definitely justifies the means! The bacon is so evenly cooked, consistent and crisp, and cleanup is easy because the grease doesn’t fly across the kitchen, as with a more traditional prep.
Difficulty Level: Easy
How Long Will it Take?
One Hour
What will I need?
Bacon - 18 to 24 ounces of your favorite bacon (Mine is uncured, sulfide free maple)
Poultry Sheers
12 inch sauté pan
Instructions
Using the poultry sheers cut each bacon slice into 4 or 5 sections. Place the pan on the burner with the burner off, and lay each piece of bacon in the pan, layering as you run out of space.
While the bacon is cooking, lay out a long sheet of foil, and top it with several layers of paper towel.
Turn the burner on to medium low, and simmer the bacon, stirring occasionally with tongs. The bacon will eventually cook evenly, becoming a deep golden brown.
The bacon should be crisp but not burnt. Once the bacon is finished, move it onto the paper towel to drain & cool. Once it is thoroughly cooled down, place the bacon in a seal and lock baggie, removing most of the air. Using your hands, crush the bacon into bits. You may have to pour the bacon back out on a cutting board and cut any larger pieces that remain.
These bacon bits can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week.
