CAULIFLOWER RISOTTO
This faux-sotto, made with riced cauliflower, is a lot quicker than traditional risotto because there are no grains to cook down, which makes it both easier and more challenging. It’s easier because it’s fast, but it’s a bit more challenging to achieve a risotto-like consistency without rice or cream. Cauliflower is extremely hardy and versatile, though, so with the help of shallots, mushrooms, and some butter, we get pretty darn close. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup white wine (or chicken broth if strict Paleo)
1½ cups chicken broth
1 to 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
- In a food processor or blender, roughly chop the cauliflower florets. You want it to be the consistency of regular rice.
- In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and shallot for about 5 minutes, or until the shallot becomes translucent. Add the cauliflower, and continue to sauté for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Pour in the wine or broth, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in, a little at a time, the 1 ½ cups chicken broth while the mixture thickens.
- Continue to stir over low heat for 5 more minutes, and then serve garnished with the scallions.
VARIATION 1 CAULIFLOWER BREAKFAST RISOTTO: Top the risotto with a fried or poached egg (see here). To fry an egg, crack one into a hot pan with ½ tablespoon grass-fed butter and cook until the white is no longer runny. Gently flip and cook to desired doneness (just a few seconds for over-easy, a minute or two for over-medium).
VARIATION 2 CHICKEN-BACON CAULIFLOWER RISOTTO: For some added protein, brown 1 or 2 diced chicken breasts in the pan with the mushrooms, garlic, and shallots. Continue with the recipe as written. Top with 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon.
