Mushroom Penne with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
 
 
Author:
Yield: about 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 3-4 large chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into large florets
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¾ cups milk
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 24 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced (we used combination of button, baby bella, oyster, and shiitake)
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. penne pasta (we used whole wheat)
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
  1. Grill the chicken breasts and remove from the heat. Cover to keep warm.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Then strain and return to pot. Cover to keep warm.
  3. Bring another large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 5 minutes and then strain. While the cauliflower is boiling, use a small pan to melt 1 tablespoon of butter and saute the garlic.
  4. In a food processor, combine the cooked cauliflower, garlic, chicken broth, milk, olive oil, and salt. Blend until very smooth. (if your food processor is on the small side, definitely do this in batches). Add more salt if needed.
  5. Now saute the mushrooms using a large pan and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. You'll need to do this in batches over medium heat. Place the cooked mushrooms in a bowl as you finish each batch. After cooking all the mushrooms, stir in the chopped thyme into the bowl of mushrooms.
  6. In the large pot with the pasta, add the the cauliflower sauce, mushrooms, and gruyere cheese. Allow to warm over medium heat until the cheese has completely melted and everything is warmed through.
  7. Serve the pasta with slices of chicken and freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe by Oakhurst Kitchen at http://oakhurstkitchen.com/mushroom-penne-with-cauliflower-cheese-sauce/