Parsnip & Cauliflower Mash with Garlic Butter

Awwww, mashed potatoes – one of my childhood’s favourite comfort foods. I still eat white potatoes every now and then but I certainly don’t overindulge in the good old spuds as much as I used to. I do however still want the comfort of the creamy, buttery puree that so perfectly soaks up the steak juices and that compliments the meatballs like it was a match made in heaven.

So I make alternatives with other starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, swedes and even broccoli gets involved sometimes. Today I share my recipe for paleo cauliflower mash made with starchy parsnips and topped with a simple garlic butter drizzle. Even my late grandmother would be proud of. 

Cook’s notes: For those of you who must avoid butter (*sad panda*), I suggest using ghee instead. Ghee is a clarified butter with most of the milk solids removed during the making and is usually (there are of course caveats) well tolerated by everyone. Alternatively, you can use olive oil and maybe some avocado to enrich the mash with some fat. Swedes or sweet potatoes could be used instead of parsnips.

Parsnip & Cauliflower Mash with Garlic Butter

• Author: Irena Macri
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

This parsnip and cauliflower mash is a perfect side dish with meat, chicken or fish. Also great as a comforting breakfast bowl with some egg on top.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 large parsnip, peeled and diced into cubes
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, roughly diced
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly diced
• 2 cups vegetable stock or bone broth
• generous pinch of salt
• pinch of white pepper (optional, black can also be used)
• 1–2 tablespoons butter (about 15–20 grams)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• garnish with diced green onion or parsley

For garlic butter drizzle

• 2 medium cloves garlic, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee (depending on your sensitivities, olive oil can also be used)
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. Add the parsnip, cauliflower and garlic to a medium saucepan and cover with vegetable stock. Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes, until soft, covered or uncovered.
2. Strain the stock into a bowl and transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add 1/3 of the cooking stock back to the food processor and add a little salt, pepper, butter and lemon zest. Process into smooth puree, about 30-40 seconds, scraping the sides as you go. You can use a blender stick or mash the vegetables by hand as well.
3. In the meantime, add the other diced garlic and butter to a small frying pan or a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic turns golden brown. This will take about a minute or two.
4. Serve the mash in a bowl or a serving pot drizzled with garlic butter and green onion.

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