Two nights ago I was madly craving creamy, gooey, stick to your ribs risotto and was hesitant to make it because 1) it takes so darn long and 2) it can be a bit heavy. To get my fix, I used cauliflower in place of the arborio rice. The result = divine. Savory, perfect texture, gooey enough and didn’t leave me feeling like I had a rock in my gut. I suggest you give this one a try.
Makes: Approx. 4 side dishes or 2 entrée servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower, finely chopped (you can use a food processor to pulse cauliflower to fine granules or hand chop
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup cooked chickpeas (home cooked or canned)
3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons olives, finely chopped (I used sun-dried black olives)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
1. Using a mortar and pestle mash garlic with thyme, oregano and sea salt. Work into a paste and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and cook for six minutes. Add garlic-herb paste and heat one minute.
4. Add wine and cook off alcohol, about three minutes.
5. Add stock and beans and then using an immersion blender, purée or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot over medium heat.
6. Add cauliflower, capers and black olives, cover and simmer for twenty minutes.
7. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Season with black pepper and more salt if desired.
