WHB Cauliflower Risotto and how to avoid dinner

I was intrigued by Mel's Cauliflower Risotto.  I quite like cooking risotto with vegetables in it but have never pureed vegies to stir through a risotto.  Having used cauliflower to make a creamy pasta sauce last year, this idea made sense.  Finding the right moment for risotto was not easy.  One night the arborio rice was infested and another I was just too tired. I had to wait until the stars aligned.

Finally I had an evening with fresh basil from my mum's garden and white wine that E wouldn't touch with a barge pole.  All I needed was rice.  Sylvia helpfully stepped in and suggested her bike ride head to the shops.  Usually we just go around the block or to the park when Sylvia is riding her bike.  I am still getting used to kiddie bike etiquette.  I always lock my bike with a D lock.  Do I lock Sylvia's bike?  Do people steal kids bikes?  We parked her bike by the check-outs with Georgie Pig hiding under a (clean) handkerchief in the basket.  I think I will get a little lock for Sylvia's bike.

It has been some time since I made risotto.  I remembered why as I stirred the rice soaking up the stock.  Risotto is not forgiving of busy people.  It is hard to run around after a small child while trying to frequently stir, keep feeding the rice with stock and stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

The risotto wasn't a quick dish.  When dinner is taking me some time to make, I give Sylvia a plate of vegies, beans and cheese to eat while I cook.  Unfortunately there are many things she would prefer to do rather than eat dinner.  For example:

• punching holes in an apple with a straw,
• cleaning the path outside our house with a piece of toilet paper,
• setting up walls and a door of her house using a pink ribbon, and
• making spectacles out of erasers and paperclips.

Of course if Sylvia would only try the risotto maybe she wouldn't want to avoid dinner.  E loved it.  He told me so quite a few times.  I had expected it to taste more of cauliflower but I think it was sacrificed for the texture.  It was deliciously creamy.  I served it with tofu bacon because when I first saw Mel's photo I was sure that was what she had used.  (In fact she served hers with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.)

The risotto needed slightly more seasoning but nothing that a drop or two of Worcestershire sauce couldn't fix.  We wondered if lemon juice would work well.  However, as I have learnt the hard way, it is far harder to taste the seasoning of a dish that is just taken off the boil.  The risotto definitely benefited from cooling slightly before serving.

I am sending this risotto to Haalo of Cook Almost Anything.  She is this week's host for Weekend Herb Blogging #326,  and the coordinator of this event which was founded by Kalyn.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: WHB St Pat's Day Cabbage and Quicklinks
This time two years ago: Bread pudding and smoothies for vegie kids
This time four years ago: HotM #13 Spring Chocolate Brownies

Cauliflower risotto with tofu bacon
adapted from Veganise This
serves 4-6

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
pinch salt
1/4 tsp stock powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine (I used Riesling)
3 tsp stock powder
1/2 tsp salt 
6 cups water
handful of torn basil
seasoning

To serve:
chopped tofu bacon
Worcestershire sauce
fresh basil

Simmer cauliflower with a pinch of salt in a small amount of water (I think my cauliflower was almost covered by the water) in a small saucepan for about 15 minutes or until it is soft.  Once cooked, drain and keep the cooking water.  Return cooked cauliflower florets and 1/2 a cup of cooking water (or make up that much if you don't have that much) to saucepan with 1/4 tsp stock powder and blend with hand held blender (or use a blender if that is your thing).  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot.  Fry onions for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute.  Add rice and stir for a few minutes until grains well coated and starting to cook (the grains start to look translucent around the edges with a white centre).

While the onions and rice are cooking, bring a kettle of water to the boil.   (Or instead of this and adding stock powder you could heat stock on a saucepan if you preferred but I find using a kettle of boiling water easier).  Add the wine, stock powder and salt (maybe even more salt) to the onion and rice mixture and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Add 1/2 to 1 cup of boiling water at a time, stirring frequently and adding more when most of the water is absorbed.  I used about 6 cups of water.

Add cauliflower and basil.  Stir for a few more minutes - just enough to heat up.  Check seasoning.  Cool slightly if you have time before serving.  Serve with a generous sprinkle of tofu bacon bits for textural contrast, a few drops of Worcestershire sauce if desired and scatter with basil leaves for colour and freshness.

On the stereo:
Discography: Pet Shop Boys