Cauliflower With Oyster Mushrooms and Sherry

Name: Cauliflower With Oyster Mushrooms and Sherry
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 2 quarts whole milk; 6 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 heads cauliflower, trimmed into bite-size florets; 1 pound oyster or chanterelle mushrooms, tough stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces; Fine sea salt; 1/4 cup minced shallots; 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish; 1 cup Amontillado or other dry sherry; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 4 tablespoons chilled butter, diced

Recipe from Ashley Christensen

Adapted by Julia Moskin and Melissa Clark

Cauliflower With Oyster Mushrooms and Sherry — Travis Dove for The New York Times

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(120)
Notes: Read community notes

This dish of cauliflower and oyster mushrooms in sherry and cream is pan-simmered, though the cauliflower is blanched beforehand in highly salted water to keep it crisp. The addition of sherry to the cream sauce keeps it from being bland, and the mushrooms are seared for a bit of chew. —Julia Moskin And Melissa Clark

Featured in: Shaking Up Side Dishes With a Sense of Daring

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

2quarts whole milk
6tablespoons kosher salt
2heads cauliflower, trimmed into bite-size florets
1pound oyster or chanterelle mushrooms, tough stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
Fine sea salt
¼cup minced shallots
4sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
1cup Amontillado or other dry sherry
¾cup heavy cream
4tablespoons chilled butter, diced

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, salt and 2 quarts water; bring to a simmer. Blanch the florets until barely tender, about 2 minutes; the cauliflower should still have a little crispness and bite. Drain well and transfer to a baking sheet to cool.
Step 2
In a large (14-inch) sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the canola oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan in a single layer, allowing them to become browned and crisped on both sides, stirring as needed, about 10 minutes. Season lightly with sea salt. Add the shallots and thyme, and, if needed, more canola oil. Sauté until the shallots are tender, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add the blanched cauliflower florets to the pan and mix well. Add the sherry, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and stirring until reduced to one quarter of the original amount. Add the cream and allow it to reduce to a thickened sauce that coats the cauliflower. Turn off the heat, and stir in the chilled butter, a few cubes at a time, to create a rich, velvety emulsion.
Step 4
Transfer to a warmed serving dish and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve as soon as possible, while still hot.

Tip

The amount of salt may seem aggressive, but do not worry: the cauliflower will not be fully cooked in this liquid

Ratings

4 out of 5

120 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Mem6 years ago

The entire first step is unnecessary (and wasteful). Cauliflower overcooks easily and is best just sauteed with the mushrooms in step 2. I used olive oil and half/half, left the mushrooms soft not crisped and served over crusty toast. Great recipe.

Karen6 years ago

I am pouring two quarts of milk down the drain to blanch cauliflower?

Emily5 years ago

Well, I wasted a lot of milk on this recipe. The outcome was tasty, but if I make this again I'll just blanch the cauliflower in water. I didn't notice a huge difference. The mushrooms turned out great; I'm planning to omit the cauliflower and use the mushrooms and sauce on truffle pasta. Fingers crossed!

Rebecca3 years ago

I’ve had this in Ashley Christensen’s restaurant many times and it is delicious. Making it at home, I’ve cooked the cauliflower in much less milk (or steamed in the microwave to be honest) and her recipe calls for a squeeze of lemon at the end as well. The mushroom sherry sauce is the key. She serves it over other vegetables as well. The keys I’ve found is the sprig of fresh thyme (or 3) in with the mushrooms while sautéed and make sure to let the mushrooms caramelize a little.

Sardina Bandana7 months ago

It's easy to microwave cauliflower and achieve the same effect without wasting milk or destroying the nutrients. Rinse, trim into florets, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3 mins.

Barb in Cambridge1 year ago

I made the sauce and served it over grilled swordfish -- wonderful! Will use it again and again. (Didn't have shallots, used some onion and finely sliced garlic)

sam1 year ago

Bland recipe wastes two quarts of milk, which was poured down the drain after cooking the cauliflower in it. Skip this step and instead roast the cauliflower to give the dish deeper flavor and avoid the recipe’s needless waste.

Regi1 year ago

Am I reading this correctly: you use 2 quarts of milk to bunch the cauliflower, and then just trow if out?!?!

Jkf2 years ago

used this over roasted cauliflower steak.

Jkf2 years ago

used this oyster mushroom and spinach sauce over roastedcauliflower steaks.

Tonja E.2 years ago

Also roasted the cauliflower and added them at the same time. It's a nice recipe with good depth of flavor. But yeah, using all of that milk is ridiculous.

chefgirl2 years ago

Well, wow. At $14/gal, and frankly, at any cost, to pour out 2L of milk is completely crazy! I would either: blanch in salt water or use the milk in a Béchamel.

Susanna3 years ago

Just made the mushroom sauce sans cauliflower (less sherry and cream) and served over roasted chicken and asparagus on the side. Delicious

Dee3 years ago

Replacement ideas for the wine?

S. Wilson3 years ago

Skipped the blanching and roasted the cauliflower instead. Served over egg noodles. Delicious!

Rebecca3 years ago

Stacey3 years ago

This recipe looks awesome, but I'm vegan. No dairy products. Does anyone think I can use cashew cream or plant based butter? or can someone suggest substitutions? TIA

Emily5 years ago

Karen6 years ago

I am pouring two quarts of milk down the drain to blanch cauliflower?

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