Notes
Cauliflower mash is an insanely delicious alternative to potato. It’s much lower GI and much lower in calories so makes for a healthier option with zero compromises on taste. Here are a couple of tricks for making insanely smooth, creamy cauliflower mash.
Finely Chop Your Cauliflower
You want the cauliflower to cook super quick and evenly so before you start cooking, make sure it’s in tiny pieces. You can even use a box-style cheese grater to essentially “rice” the cauliflower. Just watch those fingers! 
Fry Before You Boil
Before submerging in water, be sure to fry off the cauliflower in a little vegan butter or oil. This really activates the nutty, delicious cauliflower flavour. I find if you go straight to boiling, you can end up with a slightly sulfurous tasting mash. There’s no need to let it brown, just a quick fry will do! 
Just Cover the Cauliflower with Water
You won’t need too much water to make cauliflower mash – just enough to cover the cauliflower. Cauliflower has a tendency to hold much more water than potato, so we have to be cautious about introducing too much moisture. Make sure the cauliflower is just about covered and simmering away. This should be perfect for a smooth mash. 
Drain the Cauliflower Well
Once soft, place a sieve over a bowl and pour in your cauliflower. You’ll need to reserve some of the strained liquid as it can be useful for thinning your mash if it ends up too thick. Really push the moisture through the sieve with the back of a spoon and leave the cauliflower to steam itself dry for 5 minutes or so before mashing. 
Mash the Cauliflower
I like to use a stick blender, but a potato masher or ricer will work wonderfully too. Whatever you use, make sure your mash is super smooth and silky. As mentioned above, if the mash is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the reserved liquid and stir well to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and a little extra vegan butter if you like and it’s ready to use! 
Top the Pie
Now you just have to top the pie and you’re good to go! Be sure to drag a fork through the mash to give it a nice craggy surface so it browns nicely in the oven. Enjoy!
