Buy Now → Creamiest Parsnip & Cauliflower Mash with Garlic & Chives
One simple trick makes the creamiest cauliflower mash, with a hint of sweetness & a more potato-like texture, finished with plenty of garlic & chives. No milk or milk substitutes necessary!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooling / draining time
- Yield: 6 cups / 1.4 kg, serves 6 - 8 1x
- Category: side dishes, vegetables
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: English, Irish, American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs / 900 g parsnips
- 1 1/2 lbs / 680 g cauliflower, about one medium head
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml pork lard, butter or ghee, see notes
- 1 1/4 tsp / 9 g flaky sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, omit for aip
- 1/4 cup / 10 g fresh minced chives, or 2 tbsp of dried chives like these
Instructions
SOFTEN: Peel the parsnips and slice them into 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick pieces. I usually chop the larger, thicker ends of the parsnips in half through the core before slicing them. If the inner cores are especially tough, you can quarter the parsnips and then cut out and discard the cores completely. Bring a 6 quart stock pot or similar of salted water to the boil, then add the parsnips. Reduce the heat enough to keep the water at an even light boil, then cook the parsnips for about 7 – 8 minutes.
COOK: While the parsnips are getting a head start, chop the cauliflower into evenly sized florets. Add the florets to the parsnips and bring back to a boil. Cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about another 8 – 10 minutes.
DRAIN: Carefully tip the cooked vegetables into a colander and let them drain completely. Let the drained vegetables sit in the colander until the vegetables almost completely stop giving off steam, about 15 minutes. Letting the steam evaporate off makes for a creamier mash, letting the steam escape instead of blending it right into the vegetables like you would usually do, which creates a soggier, more waterlogged mash. Don’t skip this step, it makes a big difference!
WARM: While the vegetables are cooling, warm the butter, fat or oil of choice in a small saucepan over low medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is aromatic but doesn’t start to brown, about a minute or two. Remove the garlic butter mixture from the heat.
MASH: Remove the small pusher from the lid of a 14 cup food processor, to give you a large air vent that lets steam escape while you run it. Spoon about half of the vegetables into the bowl and process until reduced down, then add the rest of the vegetables, flaky sea salt & ground black pepper, if using. Process until smooth and combined, scraping the sides once or twice as needed. Add the garlic butter mixture to the food processor and process until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust seasonings, if you like.
SERVE: You can either sprinkle the chives over the top of the parsnip & cauliflower mash for a prettier presentation, or you can stir them through just before serving. (If you like, you can also add them to the food processor at the very last minute, but take care not to over blend the mash at that point or the chives will just disappear.)
Notes
If you’re in the elimination phase of the AIP, avoid butter or ghee. You can use the fat of your choice here, but make sure it’s one that you like the flavor of, since it will come through the flavor of the vegetables. Try pork lard or rendered bacon fat to add a smoky flavor, or if you want a more subtle finish, a neutral choice like avocado oil or a light olive oil would work here.
Find it online: https://meatified.com/creamiest-parsnip-cauliflower-mash/