question about cauliflower/potatoes.. ???

[freespirit]

I can't remember what they are called here ... fauxtatoes ? Anyway.

What is the texture suppose to be like? I just made them for dinner and the taste was nice (added sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, S & P) .. but I just couldn't deal with the texture. I knew to cook them until they were very tender and to drain well.. which I did. They were creamy like mashed potatoes.. yet still had enough texture that I felt like I needed to chew a little. Does this any sense? lol Basically.. are they suppose to be creamy ..just like creamed potatoes or is there still a little texture there? thanks in advance. Or did I just not cook them enough (I cooked them until there was very little water left in the pan)

~Sherrie

[scott123]

Fauxtatoes are supposed to be perfectly smooth. Cooking them the right amount of time is kind of tricky. Too short and you get little crunchy bits, too long and they have a tendency to get waterlogged. Not to mention you are dealing with a natural product so the length of time needed to cook them will vary.

I would recommend overcooking them a bit until you get a hang of it. Some people are successful microwaving them but I have yet to go that route. I add about an inch of water to a sauce pan, cover and steam them, tossing them to redistribute every few minutes. This last time I did them, I noticed it took about 20 minutes to cook them thoroughly. I think if I had a steamer they'd cook much more evenly without the hassle of shaking the saucepan.

Because you will be overcooking your fauxtatoes slightly, here are some ways people get around the liquid issue. After draining,

1. Return them to the pan on low and gently sautee away some of the liquid (I do this).
2. Put them in a cotton towel and wring out some of the liquid.
3. Press between paper towels.
4. Bake at 325 on a cookie sheet (or bake from the beginning)
5. Puree and allow to drain in muslin a few hours or overnight.
6. Press the water out through a ricer (don't rice the cauliflower, though)
7. Grab a bowl slightly smaller than your colander and use that to squeeze some the water out.

Once you do have them fully drained, make sure you process them for a decent chunk of time, scraping the sides carefully.

Fauxtatoes isn't one of the easiest dishes to perfect, but once you do, you will understand completely why people are so enamored with them.

[freespirit]

Thank you so much for your detailed description of the proper way to cook them. I obviously did not cook them long enough ..and they did end up slightly thinner than I would have preferred. I do think, that if done right, they will be a welcomed addition to our growing atkins menus. My husband and I are both on induction right now. He wasn't very fond of the fauxtatoes but I'm going to try them again later on in the week...hopefully with better luck lol

Thanks again!

~Sherrie

[Naja]

Steam them in a microwave steamer until they are absolutely soggy. No water needed. Drain any cooking liquid. Toss them in the food processor with some cream cheese and ideally some Keto mashed potatoes for extra flavor. Add shredded cheddar and/or garlic for a real treat.

[freespirit]

I don't have a microwave steamer or a food processor ... but tell me more about Keto mashed potatoes.. I've never heard of them.

[Naja]

Keto "Ketatoes" are made from real potatoes, but with most of the starch stripped out. You add them to fauxtatoes to get a real potato flavor. Check with your local health food store if they carry the Keto line of products.

[scott123]

Here are the ingredients:

Ketato Mix, Classic Potato

Ingredients: Soy protein isolate, Oat fiber, Dehydrated
Potato flakes, Calcium Caseinate, dried cream,
modified maltodextrin fiber, salt, monocalcium
phosphate, maltodextrin, potassium bicarbonate,
natural and artificial flavors.

Save yourself some money and buy soy protein powder and and mix it with some regular dehydrated potatoes. Or, if you're like me and don't find soy all that palatable, skip this altogether.