I've come to discover that cauliflower may be my favorite side dish. While there are other veggies I love more, none seem to have the versatility that I am discovering cauliflower to have. I was never much of a cauliflower fan in my my pre-paleo days unless it was drowning in cheddar cheese. But now I love cauliflower because I'm able to dress it up with herbs and spices and it becomes a fantastic dish for when you want a little bit more to fill in the gaps on your plate. Today I did a riff on rice pilaf and it turned out pretty yummy.
Cauliflower Pilaf
1 cauliflower, riced
1/2 C. raisins
1/2 C. pistachios
5-6 scallions, diced
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 T. olive oil
chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
scant Tablespoon of chopped parsley
- Steam the riced cauliflower by microwaving it in a covered bowl for 4 minutes (do not add water). Let it stand covered until it is time to mix in the ingredients.
- Put the raisins in a small saucepan and add enough chicken broth to just cover them. Simmer until they are plump and soft. Drain the excess chicken broth.
- Add the oil and the pistachios to a small skillet. Toss occasionally until the nuts are fragrant. Remove and when they have cooled some give them a rough chop.
- Add the scallions to the skillet that the pistachios were in (add oil if needed) and saute until they soften.
- In a large bowl add all the ingredients (cauliflower, raisins, pistachios, scallions, cinnamon, parsley, salt and pepper) and mix to combine.
Now for something kind of fun! Look at these cute little cauliflower sheep that I found. This proves that cauliflower can do or become anything you wish.
