This Valentine’s Day♥ if the way to your honey’s heart is through his or her stomach, then you have to try this Creamy Cauliflower Purée with Manchego Cheese and Olive Oil. It’s so creamy, cheesy and savory, you won’t miss the potatoes one bit. We promise! Try pairing it with one of the white wines we suggest below!
Let’s face it, at least for most of us, the potatoes in mashed potatoes are really just a vehicle to enjoy the butter, cream, garlic and other delicious ingredients with which they’re combined. Based on that premise, cauliflower is a worthy substitute, and in some ways, a better one because it’s much lower in calories and carbohydrates than potatoes, which means: you have more room for wine, dessert or both!
Steaming vs. Boiling:
Although it’s not uncommon to see cauliflower purée recipes that call for boiling the cauliflower, this recipe calls for steaming it, which preserves the flavors and results in a better texture.
Manchego Cheese:
Manchego is a cheese from Spain made exclusively from sheep’s milk. This recipe calls for a Manchego cheese that is aged for about 6 months, which adds a salty nutty quality to the purée. While you can substitute a younger Manchego cheese, which will be creamier but less nuanced in flavor, we don’t recommend using an older Manchego, as it tends to be drier and crumbly.
If you’re a Manchego cheese lover like we are, you may also like our Fig, Manchego and Ibérico Salad.
Olive Oil:
In addition to the cream, this recipe incorporates olive oil instead of butter, a technique we learned in Spain, to add richness to the dish.
Creamy Cauliflower Purée with Manchego Cheese and Olive Oil Recipe
- • Two 2-pound heads of cauliflower, cored and cut into 2-inch florets
- • 1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
- • 2 tablespoons good quality Spanish olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- • 6 ounces Manchego cheese aged about 6 months or less, grated
- • Kosher salt to taste
- • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Step 1: Place the cauliflower inside the insert of a steamer pot and set aside.
Step 2: In the steamer pot, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil, add the insert with the cauliflower, cover the pot and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir the cauliflower a couple of times while cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.
Step 3: Working in batches, as necessary, place the cauliflower and cream in a blender or food processor and purée until well combined. With the motor running slowly, remove the center of the blender's or food processor's lid and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is thick and smooth. Turn off the blender or food processor and stir in the cheese. If the mixture is not completely smooth, briefly purée again until smooth.
Step 4: Turn off the blender or food processor and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Transfer the purée immediately to a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil to garnish.
Making Ahead: If not using the purée immediately, cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving.
Wine Pairings🍷
This Creamy Cauliflower Purée with Manchego Cheese and Olive Oil is rather delicate, so we would avoid pairing it with an overwhelming bold red wine with a lot of tannins. Instead, if you prefer red wine, we would pair it with a more restrained, light and fruity pinot noir, such as a pinot noir from Oregon.
Ideally, we would pair this dish with a smooth, dry white wine with moderate acidity, such as dry Albariño or Torrontés, or off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer. For the best of both worlds, a Torrontés-Riesling blend, like the one from Amalaya paired with our Patatas Bravas, would be fantastic.
But, as always, the best wine pairing is what you like!
Enjoy, and thank you for visiting!
!Salud!