A popular low-carb side dish these days is that of cauliflower ‘rice.’ (I say rice in quotation marks because this is the same sort of culinary hoax as spaghetti squash in place of angel hair pasta.) Cauliflower florets, when pulsed in a food processor, crumble into tiny pieces that resemble rice or cous cous. A quick saute of these lovely ‘rice’ pieces in olive oil and a fabulous side dish is born. Just like with any traditional rice pilaf, feel free to add in whatever you wish to liven it up. For this version I stuck to the classics—sliced almonds, golden raisins, fresh herbs and lemon zest. For a slightly salty finish I dusted the top with freshly grated Pecorino cheese. This is a fabulous low-card side dish that will fool just about anyone!
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Cauliflower ‘Rice’ Pilaf with Sliced Almonds & Golden Raisins
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets (preferably organic)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- zest of 1 large lemon (organic)
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Directions:
- Place the cauliflower florets into the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse until the florets are the size of rice.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add in the chopped cauliflower and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, fresh herbs of your choosing, almonds and raisins. Serve warm with a grating of the cheese.
Tagged: cauliflower, cauliflower 'rice', cauliflower florets, fresh herbs, golden raisins, lemon zest, low carb, Parmesan cheese, pecorino cheese, rice, side dish, sliced almonds, vegetarian side dish
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