Curried Cauliflower Puree

Photo: Cook in a Bar

Ingredients

2 lb head of cauliflower

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (may want to add more)

2 1/2 teaspoons hot curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

cup heavy cream, optional

Preparation

Trim the leaves and cut out the central core of the cauliflower. Break the cauliflower into small florets. You ca n peel the core and slice crosswise or discard.

Add the cauliflower pieces to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cook the cauliflower, covered, until tender. It will probably take about 5 minutes.

Drain the cauliflower pieces, reserving the cooking liquid, and place in a food processor. Add butter, curry powder, salt, and pepper, and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid.

Puree to desired consistency, adding more cooking liquid or more butter, if desired. I added about 1/4 cup of heavy cream which added a lovely richness to the puree. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serve immediately while still warm, or pour into a baking dish and reheat in a 250 degree F oven when you are ready to serve.