Callin' for the Cauliflower!

Cooked cauliflower is not something I make often. I love it raw in a salad or on a veggie platter, but the only time I really eat it cooked is if a restaurant has steamed it into the "vegetable of the day" side item. I have seen some of the low carb books include a recipe for faux mashed potatoes using steamed cauliflower but I have never attempted that (yet). In this dish, the cauliflower really doesn't have a taste..it takes on the nutty flavor of the browned butter and is very bulky and filling. Always good with a vegetable.

When I found this recipe from Martha Stewart I have to be honest, it looked easy and I had all the ingredients in my pantry so it meant I didn't need to go to the grocer on my way home. Let me correct that..I THOUGHT I had everything...the croutons that I had in the back of the closet forever were missing. Luckily, I had a baguette in the freezer so I put that in my food processor and followed the instructions for toasting the crumbs.

Now, before you have a heart attack looking at the butter that is in the dish..remember! You are not eating the entire dish. This will serve 4 people and I had leftovers for 2 lunches. It is all about portion control in my mind.  I also use Dreamfields Pasta which is a low carb/ high fiber pasta. There are other brands out there, but I think Dreamfields tastes great!

Enjoy!


Linguine with Cauliflower and Brown Butter

3/4 cup packaged croutons or 3 slices stale bread
6 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 medium cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into florets
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound linguine
10 fresh sage leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 shallot, minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions

1.Place croutons in a plastic bag, and crush to coarse crumbs with a rolling pin. (If using bread, grind in a food processor, and toast in a dry skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking skillet frequently to toast evenly.)

2.In a large skillet, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add cauliflower florets and 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute, 15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cook until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3.In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine until al dente ( when you bite it, it should sort of still have a firm center), about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.

4.In pasta pot, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in sage and shallot; cook until butter is golden brown, 3 minutes. Add pasta, cauliflower, parsley, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry. To serve, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan.