Creamy (and Light) Cauliflower Sauce

We love cauliflower and it appears on our dinner menu pretty often. Raw, steamed, roasted, mashed...we'll happily eat it in any form. But cauliflower sauce? I'd never heard of that. The other day, though, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Pinch of Yum, and Lindsay was expounding on the virtues of her cauliflower sauce in place of creamy, heavy pasta sauce. Huh? Whaaa? I had to make it. I mean, immediately! And I had a head of cauliflower in my fridge because I pretty much always do.

I followed her recipe exactly and, once done, I stood there continually dipping my spoon into the sauce pan and wondering how something this tasty can be so lean. It tasted like a creamy sauce, albeit a slightly nontraditional one, but not really like cauliflower. I gave Brian a spoonful to taste without telling him what it was. He liked it immediately but also couldn't pinpoint the flavor. We used it that night (or what was left after we kept "tasting" it) on some baked rice but I knew I'd be making it again within a couple of days.

The second time I made it, I intended it as a pasta sauce and jazzed it up with fresh basil and some Parmesan cheese. So, so good! This one is definitely a keeper. And if you're not already reading Pinch of Yum, head on over there for more of Lindsay's great recipes and amazing foreign adventures. Enjoy!
Ingredients
(Minimally adapted from Pinch of Yum)
1 Head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Cup low fat milk
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the cauliflower florets in a pot of boiling, salted water until very tender. Remove the florets from the pot when cooked but reserve the cooking liquid. While the cauliflower is cooking, saute the garlic in the butter in a skillet over very low heat until translucent but not browned. Set aside.

Working in batches, place the cooked cauliflower in a blender along with one cup of the cooking liquid, the milk and the sauteed butter and garlic. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit more milk or more of the cooking liquid until you have your desired consistency. Add the sauce to a pot along with the basil and cheese and season to taste.