Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese

Over a year ago now, a friend of a friend of a friend told us about this recipe where cauliflower subs for cream. It was one of those nights where we'd all had a few drinks, said things like 'oh boy does that sound good' and 'we'll have to try that sometime!' and kept drinking. Well, the FOFOF took my email address, promising to send me the recipe, and she actually did. I just recently found it tucked away in my recipe folder and since Baby had a very successful week on Weight Watchers, I thought that this would be a perfect way to celebrate, practically guilt-free (only 14 Weight Watchers points).

If you don't know about Better Than Cream Cheese from the Tofutti brand already, please discover it for yourselves. It is better than cream cheese. That's my addition to the recipe, as well as the dose of low-sodium Bacon Salt, which indeed has the flavor of bacon, without the fat. I also toss in a clove of garlic and a capful of beer (or white wine) at the end for even extra flavor.

I hope you enjoy this diet-conscious dish and will serve it to your friends, and friends of friends--they'll never taste the difference!

Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese
Serves 4/appetizer
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups macaroni
1 Tb margarine or olive oil
1 Tb flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butternut squash or cauliflower puree
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz fat free cream cheese or Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Bacon Salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp paprika (or cayenne—or both!)
1/8 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 capful beer or white wine

Cook macaroni and drain.
While macaroni is cooking heat large saucepan over med heat. Add the oil then the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned.
Slowly simmer milk and add in, stirring every now and then until the mixture begins to thicken (3 - 4 min). Add the vegetable puree, cheddar and cream cheese or Tofutti - season and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in macaroni, garlic, beer or wine and serve warm.

Serving suggestion: top with 1 crushed Saltine per bowl, and a fat-free hot dog grilled with Pam and then sliced.

In The Kitchen With Luis Arce Mota

Adapted from Luis Arce Mota’s inspiring menu at Ofrenda in Manhattan, the Coliflor Capeada (cauliflower fritters) at this cocina Mexicana involves meringue-battered cauliflower, sumptuous chipotle-tomato sauce, and cauliflower purée. Do try this at home and hang on to your cojones! Thank you Luis for sharing this exquisite recipe with me!

Coliflor Capeada (Cauliflower Fritters)
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
1 pound of tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
2 tablespoons adobo (from can)
1 small Mexican bay leaf
½ cup tomato juice
4 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
½ stick butter
Canola oil for frying

Divide the cauliflower into 2 bunches of flowerets. Cook one of the bunches in boiling water until al dente (about 5 minutes). Drain, set aside and cool completely. Put the other bunch into a pan, cover with boiling water, add salt, bring to boil. Cook until it is very soft. Take the softened bunch, put into a blender with butter, make into a purée and season to taste. Put aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce as follows. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the sliced onion and after 2 minutes, add the tomatoes, 3 chipotle peppers, garlic and Mexican bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato juice and a little water and adjust seasoning if necessary. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Put whole mixture into blender, add 2 tablespoons adobo and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water to thin it.

Heat oil in frying pan to ¼ inch depth over low heat. While oil is being heated, beat the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add the yolks and beat after each addition. Lightly cover one of the cauliflower flowerets with flour and dip into the batter until evenly covered. Carefully lower with spatula into the hot oil. Leave for a few seconds until the bottom of the batter is a deep golden color. Carefully turn over. Drain on paper.

To serve, place cauliflower purée in the middle of plate with 4 battered flowerets on top of the purée. Put in 350-degree oven for 3 minutes. Remove and cover with chipotle-tomato sauce and serve.

Serves 2.

Originally published in Next magazine.