Cauliflower Mac n Cheese ♥ Recipe

Today's Thanksgiving recipe idea: Mac 'n' cheese for grown-ups, with pan-roasted cauliflower and a peppery cream sauce. Made low-carb with low-glycemic pasta from Dreamfields.

Last year's Butternut Mac 'n' Cheese persuaded me that mac 'n' cheese has a revered place on the Thanksgiving table. Call it the 'people's choice'.

So just for fun, I tried another vegetable version, this time with pan-roasted cauliflower and not so much a 'cheese' sauce as a 'pepper cream' sauce.

It's great! The pepper really contrasts with the nuttiness of the cauliflower and the toothsome bite of the pasta. It's another winner -- worthy of a place on a festive table.

The recipe is easy enough, but does require a pan or two or three. But the results are -- to my taste -- worth the time and effort.

CAULIFLOWER MAC 'N' CHEESE

Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Time to table: 75 minutes
Makes about 4 cups

PASTA
8 ounces dried pasta, Dreamfields Pasta for carb-watchers and diabetics

Cook the pasta according to instructions, being sure to salt the water well. Drain.

CAULIFLOWER
2 tablespoon unsalted butter (one tablespoon per skilletful of cauliflower)
1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed, core cut out in a large V-shaped cone, head cut into bite-size florets

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter on MEDIUM HIGH until sizzly and beginning to brown. Add about some cauliflower, only enough for a single layer, toss well to coat with fat. Turning just once, let cook until browned, about 4 - 5 minutes. Put aside and repeat until all the cauliflower is cooked.

SAUCE
8 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Stir together.

CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup panko
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Fresh thyme leaves

Add to cauliflower skillet and cook over MEDIUM until crumbs are quite brown.

ASSEMBLY
Preheat oven to 400F. In the pasta pot, stir together cooked pasta, cooked cauliflower and sauce. Taste sauce -- make sure it's peppery. If not, keep adding pepper. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over top. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until hot and bubbly clear through.

TO PREP AHEAD
DAY BEFORE Cook cauliflower. Make crumb topping.
MORNING OF Cook pasta. Mix sauce. Assemble.
BEFORE DINNER Return to room temperature. Top with crumb topping, bake at 400F for 45 - 60 minutes until hot and bubbly clear through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Half Cup: 317Cal; 17g Tot Fat; 9g Sat Fat; 52mg Cholesterol; 120mg Sodium; 33g Carb; 6g Fiber; NetCarb26; 4g Sugar; 10g Protein; Weight Watchers 7 points

NUTRITION NOTES
If you use Dreamfields pasta, which uses a patent-pending formula to 'protect carbs' from being digested for a net of only 5 digestible carbs per 2 ounces of pasta, this becomes a 'low carb' dish, even though that's not reflected in the straight-up nutrition data.

To lower the calories, use only 4 ounces of pasta, choosing a 'small' size versus the 'large' penne so it will distribute more easily. You could also use half 'n' rather rather than cream. In addition, I think that fat-free half 'n' half would work here, since thickening properties aren't needed, as would part-skim ricotta. These make huge differences in the nutrition -- whew! I wish I'd made it this way!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Half Cup: 195Cal; 7g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 17mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium; 25g Carb; 4g Fiber; NetCarb21; 5g Sugar; 9g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from a 2007 seasonal publication from Fine Cooking, it's been a real inspiration.

KITCHEN NOTES
After cooking the cauliflower in the skillet, I wondered if roasting it might have been quicker and easier.
I used the Dreamfield's pasta I had on hand, penne, but I think that 'ears'/orichiette or something smaller would soak up the sauce a little better.

---

MORE THANKSGIVING RECIPES for CAULIFLOWER
~ Cauliflower Cream ~
~ Creamy Cauliflower Gratin ~
~ Cauliflower with Pancetta, Capers & Parmesan ~

~ more cauliflower recipes ~
~ Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes 2008 ~

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So watch for new Thanksgiving recipes all November long, new additions to my collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes. Whether it's 2006's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or 2007's favorite Cauliflower Cream or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy, this year, move vegetables to your center stage.
© Copyright 2008