I hope everyone had a great weekend. My Saturday was nothing remarkable. It was pouring in Boston and on top of it I had to go into the office and work so I was in a royally gloomy mood. Sunday more than made up for it though as my boyfriend and I made the 45-minute drive north to Cider Hill Farm. It’s become a yearly tradition for me (You can read about last year’s adventure, which included tree climbing for peaches, here.) and this weekend’s trip didn’t disapoint. The farm was flush with pick-your-own’s like apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, and raspberries. The apples were also so ripe (both on the trees and on the ground) that the air on the hill smelled of cider and caramel mixed with the earthy scent of grass and twigs. It was lucisous enough that I wanted to bottle it and take it home for those barren stretches of winter when nothing in New England seems to grow at all.
The peaches and plums weren’t quite up to par with what I’ve been getting in my CSA share so I ended up sticking to picking raspberries and apples. That doesn’t mean though that my bounty was small. I came home with four and a half pounds of Macintosh and Cortland apples and a little over a pound of raspberries. Given that I already had a sizeable bag of Gravenstein apples that I picked up from the farm store at Big Apple Farm in Wrentham, MA over Labor Day weekend you can expect a lot of apple-laden recipes to come on the blog.
This week I used some of my apples to make a Cauliflower and Apple Puree with Chevre. Thanks to Ashlee of A Year in the Kitchen I’ve been hooked on purees and mashes with cauliflower. For a long time I had no desire whatsoever to try mashed cauliflower. All I knew about it was that it became all the rage during the low carb days of the early 2000′s. Because of this, I envisioned it tasting like a poor substitute of mashed potatoes. Thankfully a glut of cauliflower from my CSA and Ashlee’s endorsement convinced me to give a cauliflower puree a go. This recipe is sure to convince skeptics like me. Cauliflower and chopped apple are roasted before being pureed with warm evaporated milk and a small knob of chevre. The end result is a nice change of pace from mashed potatoes. It has a lightly pleasant sweetness from the apple and an almost nutty character from the cauliflower. The chevre provides slight creaminess and the perfect balance to the sweet. I enjoyed it plain and as a base for leftover chili, but it would also be delicious with some roast pork.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
-Cooking spray
-1 small head cauliflower, choppped (about 3 cups)
-1 small tart apple, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)
-3/4 cup evaporated milk, warm
-1 ounce chevre
-Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, spray a baking dish with cooking spray and fill with cauliflower and apple. Roast until apple and cauliflower are tender and the cauliflower is nicely golden on the edges. Remove cauliflower-apple mixture from the oven and add to a food processor along with the evaporated milk and chevre. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, Saturday was miserable here. You guys had the right plan!
I would never think of making/eating cauliflower/apple mash but I think you sold me on it. I’ll save the recipe. I bet it’s great with some pork!
Sounds like a great combination of flavors.
I love cauliflower puree. It’s one vegetable that, when pureed, tastes so creamy that you’d swear there’s cream in it when there isn’t. I love it made into a simple pureed soup with some snipped chives over the top and a drizzle of truffle oil. Never thought about the marriage of apple and cauliflower, but I bet that would be good, especially with creamy, salty chevre.
I’d love to go somewhere to pick your own fruit and veg!
And I often de-glutenise recipes but it’s also great to bake with already existing gf recipes.
I love going apple and pumpkin picking! Apples just always taste better when you pick them yourself and it makes for such a fun experience.
Ashlee has me craving the purees as well. She can make anything look good! I’m sure the chevre added too the cauliflower puree helps too.
I absolutely want to make this! it is so simple, yet I can imagine how delicious it is — a little nutty and sweet, earthy, a little tangy… quick question: do you think regular milk would work instead of evaporated? or cream perhaps? I haven’t the slightest idea of where to find evaporated milk here in germany
This is an interesting side dish, but of course it’s the perfect time for it now that we’re into the fall season.
Kelly,
Fall! You bring it into my kitchen so well. I love the sound of this combination.
Elina – It’s definitely delicious. Guy Fieri had a recipe for a mashed potato with green apple the other day so it is seems to be a popular combination. I also agree that it would be delightful with pork. Its enough to make me want to make it again and whip out the pork steak from my CSA awaiting me in the refrigerator.
Sherri – Thanks!
Carolyn – I completely agree with you. It makes me feel bad that I had unfounded negative impression of it. I love the sound of a marriage between cauliflower, chives, and truffle oil. It makes me think I should keep my fingers crossed it will be back at the farmer’s market next week and do some kind of sauteed mushroom mixture over a truffle infused cauliflower mash. Oh you inspire me.
Mandee – It’s definitely nice to have some place local to pick. Thanks for the clarification on which recipes you use. I’m always impressed with how well you degultenize gultenous recipes. You seem to have it down to a science.
Joanne – I completely agree. I know it’s all in my head that it tastes better since my CSA produce is perfectly lovely as well, but everytime I eat it I’m filled with nostalgia of when I picked it and it makes me smile.
Jen – I’ll post this on your blog as well so you’re sure to see it but I think that milk or cream would be a great substitution, whatever you would normally use in mashed potatoes. I just happen to like evaporated milk because a) I drink so little dairy milk that it’s an easy way to have it milk on hand without worrying it will spoil and b) I find the body of it to be a good stand in for light cream without the added fat or the weird ingredients of fat free half and half.
Duo dishes – Yup. Perfect for fall. For the next few months it’s all apples all the time.
Chou – Thank you.
Love the addition of chevre to this puree! And i’ve had a hit or miss experience lately with my produce…
A combination of cauliflower and apple sounds incredible, what a delicious puree! And of course I love the addition of chevre! Excellent!
Shannon – I’m sorry to hear that. Nothing worse than having hit or miss produce since it can be pricy.
Natasha – Thanks.
Your cauliflower dish sounds heavenly! And I’m sure it’s low in calories too! I still have a bunch of apples leftover from apple picking – this might be THE dish to use them up!
You’ve reminded me that I need to go apple picking! I’ve actually never done it, so I definitely want to make it this year! Apple and cauliflower sound divine together, especially with the tang of the chevre – yum!
I’ve never even thought that cauliflower and apple can be combined. So creative!
I’ve been scared to try mashed cauliflower for the same reason, it just couldn’t live up to mashed potatoes! But this recipe sounds great, I’m definitely bookmarking it (as well as your site! Just found it and really like it!)
Kelly, I love your photo of the pumpkins!
This is a really unique dish–love it! It would go perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish. Might have to try it out–thanks!
Wow, this sounds so good! I am going to have to try it! I love roasted cauliflower and mashed cauliflower, but I have never roasted it prior to mashing! Love the additions to it as well.
Sounds like your trip to the farm! There is NOTHING as wonderful as fall in New England. We will be heading up there in less than a month and I cannot wait!
What a beautiful fall dish! Great flavor combinations and the Chevre sounds perfect with the puree. Yummy! So inspiring!
Jen – Thank you. It is relatively healthy as far as calories and fat are concerned. You could omit a little bit by skipping the goat cheese, but it packs so much flavor that I think it’s a relative bargain calorie wise.
Kerstin – It’s definitely worth it to make time for apple picking, especially in New England since there are so many great orchards to pick at.
Zerrin – Thank you.
Apples go really well with a lot of veggies. I also like them with potatos, carrots, and parsnips.
Allison – From one girl who was scared to another this recipe is a great way to overcome any fears. It’s extremely flavorful.
Kitchenbelle – Thank you! I saw them and they were practically screaming to have their picture taken. I love fall.
CaSaundra – I agree that it would be perfect for Thanksgiving.
Jenn – I’d never roasted it before mashing it either but it was a lot less fussy than boiling or steaming and added a nice bit of flavor from the caramelization on the edges.
Eralda – Thanks.