Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch (4) spring onions, greens, and whites chopped*
ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan
3 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the potatoes and cauliflower and some salt. Boil until the vegetables are tender. Drain and mash until fairly smooth in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion and saute until soft. Stir into the potato mixture. Mix in the spices. Scrape into prepared pan. Dot with small amounts of extra butter (if desired) and sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
*not scallions or green onions, these are small white onions with thick, wide greens attached
My thoughts:
Can you believe I’ve had this cauliflower since 3/12/20? It was in perfect shape too. That was the day I did my first big shop heading into what I thought would be a long period of self-quarantine (and it was/is!). I never dreamed I’d be eating on my first Easter at home and not at my parents’ house.
We still wanted to be festive so we came up with this idea for a cauliflower-potato garden. Then I remembered the spring onions I got last week in our produce delivery. I love spring onions, they have such a sweet onion flavor and the greens cook up so well. This was a great use of them, they keep the whole mixture from being too bland and gave it well, the taste of spring. Using mashed potatoes and cauliflower was just as tasty as potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes but with none of the worrying if the potatoes are going to be fully cooked before it is too brown or not. Here, the hot mash went right into my vintage Pyrex fully cooked and directly from the stove so all we had to do was brown it. It did use a bit of butter but the mix was firm and creamy enough it didn’t need an egg or milk which, while we didn’t eliminate them on purpose–they just weren’t necessary, was an ingredient saving move during a time when we are trying not to shop.
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