Mushrooms with mashed Cauliflower and truffle oil - I love this!

This recipe has  big flavours and textures…the creaminess of the cauliflower, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the drizzle of truffle oil screams comfort food, sweats and TV.  You can bake in a casserole dish but I like these cute ramekins, they are perfect when eating  in front of the TV.  Now off to eat and watch my fav new PBS series, Last Tango in Halifax…

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Mushrooms with Mashed Cauliflower and Truffle Oil

This recipe was adapted from Delicious Everyday.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• about 6 cups of cauliflower chopped (I used a medium sized cauliflower)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium sized carrots, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup dried wild mushrooms, soaked in 1/2 cup of boiling water (I used porcini)
• 1 pound mushrooms, diced, you can use a mix or any kind you like.
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ red wine
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, (optional) 
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• drizzle of truffle oil, (optional) 

Instructions:

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

For the Mushrooms:

1. In a  large frying pan over medium heat add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and then the mushrooms. Your pan will be very full but don't worry as the mushrooms with shrink down.
2. Remove the dried mushrooms from the water and chop.  Save the water.  Add mushrooms to the pan.
3. Then add the tomato paste and increase the heat and add the red wine, the liquid from the mushrooms and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until about  half of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
4. Place mushroom mixture in 4 ramekins or an 8 x 8 square pyrex, set aside.  Then prepare the cauliflower.

For the Cauliflower:

1. Chop the cauliflower, add to a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and cook the cauliflower until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the cauliflower in a food processor with 2 tbsp olive oil, nutritional yeast, mustard, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt and thyme leaves.
3. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Spoon on top of the mushroom mixture, drizzle with truffle oil and bake for about 20 minutes.

Cooks Notes:

• The truffle oil is meant to be a finishing oil.  Just a little drizzle on top,  less is more!
• If you don't like truffle oil just leave it out.