Cauliflower "mashed potatoes" and Wasabi-Sesame Salmon

Big big big big BIIIIIG news in my culinary life- 12 cup big news, in fact!  Thanks to Mama Kef and JimmyKef, I am now the very proud new owner of a grown-up food processor!

My cat is jealous of the new baby in the house.

 

 

No more trying to make soup in three batches, no more cleaning up leaked chick pea juice because I tried to make 3 cups of hummus in a 2-cup mini-processor, no more having to wash it out 6 times for one recipe.  This year, 15 April isn't just tax day; it's the day my Greek Easter game goes on some next level ish because I have this hot lil mama!  

Ok, ok- enough cheesing over this little gem and onto some cooking.  BF Kef has been raving over this cauliflower mash I made months ago but haven't made since because it was too much of a pain in my little food processor.  Eager to see what this machine could do, I decided to give the mash a whirl again.


Now, I am often accused of calling everything I make "easy."  I think this is a false accusation, and this recipe is a great example of how a few really simple steps can make a delicious meal without too much time or effort.  If you don't believe me, know that I prepped this meal while getting dressed, threw it in one of those insulated shopping bags, enjoyed a date at the National Sympony Orchestra with my boo (excuse you!), and then cooked the meal at his house.  So imagine how easy this would be if you cooked it all at once, in the same kitchen, and weren't trying to puree cauliflower while pulling on your pantyhose. (Granted I was MUCH aided by my fancy new food processor, but if yours is bigger than 2 cups, it will do the trick...even if yours is only a 2-cupper, it will just take like 3 batches-which isn't actually bad, I am just lazy).  My point is:  Healthy food does not need to be time-consuming food, people!

 Ok- without further ado, an easy date-night recipe for two:


Cauliflower "mashed potatoes" and wasabi-sesame salmon

Cauliflower Mash

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 TBS Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/4-1/2c feta cheese
  
  
  
  Salmon
• 2 fillets of salmon
• 1/4-1/2 c wasabi peas
• 3 TBS sesame seeds (I just bought a sesame bagel and took them off)
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2-3 tsp olive oil

Cauliflower:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut caulifower from stem so only "trees" remain and place in a pot of water, let boil and immediately remove from heat. Sautee garlic and onions in oil until fragrant (2-3 minutes).
2. Put in food processor and mash to consistency you like.  
3. Mix mash, onions, garlic, and feta together.
4. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until edges of mash start browning.


Salmon:
1. Crush together wasabi peas, sesame seeds, and pepper.  You can do this by throwing them in a food processor or by putting them all together in a ziploc bag and crushing them with a rolling pin or wine bottle-whatever you have available.
2. Grease your fingers with olive oil and run them over both sides (if skinless) or non-skinned side of salmon.
3. Coat the fish in your wasabi-sesame-pepper dip.
4. Cook for 10 minutes at 350, or until you like how "done" it is. I like it medium-rare.