Keto Cauliflower Polenta Cakes are definitely not what I started out to make-Oops. All I needed was some mashed cauliflower. Since we all know that Mashed Cauliflower, when done improperly, can be pretty watery, I decided to see if I slowly baked a whole head at 275° that maybe most of the water would evaporate. Well that part of it worked really well although I did have to bake it for a long time. I covered it with foil and just forgot about it for more than several hours.
Since it turned out to be much drier than I thought it would be, instead of using my stick blender I put it is my processor. Well dang…it DID NOT mash…at all. I put it into a big bowl and then used the stick blender but no matter how long I tried to get it mashed, it still had the texture of polenta so I decided to punt and as you can see it turned out really, really well. I have said elsewhere that I use (very) old tuna cans as my Ring Molds and there they are for all to see. What I really ended up with were Cauliflower Grits and I now use them with many, many meals. Eating the first one just plain Jane fried & covered with a little browned butter and the second one I froze and plan to serve on a base of Tomato Basil Cream and I think it may be spectacular.
I can now think of lots of ways to use these keto cauliflower polenta cakes let alone the baked cooked cauliflower. How about Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce and these in place of muffins? Or the “grits” in the Grillades & Cheesy Cauliflower “Grits” recipe? How about under a pile of Creamed Hungarian Mushrooms? Or with mozzarella cheese topped with marinara sauce? OK, OK, I’m making myself nuts.
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- 1½ C Ground Pork Rinds
- 1½ C Baked & Processed Cauliflower (Yes, Including The Core)
- ¾ C Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Beaten Egg
- ¾ t Pepper
- ¼ C Butter For Sautéing
- 1-2 t Butter To Grease Rings
- Bake a tin foiled medium sized cauliflower at 275° until tender. It may slightly brown which only adds to the flavor.
- Cut into smaller pieces and process. You will have extra for other recipes.
- Put into mixing bowl, add egg, parmesan cheese, & pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Generously grease rings.
- Spread pork rinds on large flat surface and seat rings into rinds.
- Divide mixture, pressing into rings and they should be about ½” thick.
- Now take remaining rinds and cover top of polenta cakes.
- Do not try to remove the rings...yet.
- Heat butter.
- Gently slide each ringed cake into one hand then slide them into butter. Cover and let them cook about 6-7 minutes.
- Now you can take off rings. If they stick (and they might) using a blunt utensil, release them.
- Turn and cook remaining side for another 6-7 minutes or until rinds are well browned.
- 6 Servings
- 234 Calories, 14.8g Protein, 19.4g Fat, 1.6g Carbs, 0.7g Fiber, 0.9g Net Carbs
- I know you could cut up the cauliflower before baking it and at this point, I don't think enough of its water would evaporate so my advice is just do it low and slow for the best results. If anyone comes up with a better way please, let me know.
- I got 3 cups of "gritty" cauliflower and using a ½ cup scoop, I froze the rest of it for later use.