Paleo or Quick Pierogies

 

I love Pierogies. Like seriously. You can stuff them with many delectable fillings, but my favorite is cheddar and potato. I don’t bother putting onion inside them because I am going to top them with sautéed onions and sour cream. Both are traditional toppings and I cannot choose between them, so I don’t choose.

The problem is that I have identified potatoes, cheese, and bread products as my killers. The things that make me fat. The things that make me unhealthy. Sluggish even. So, they had to go, but that cost me one of my favorite breakfasts.

I had already stopped buying them prepared and had gone over to what my best friend calls Pierogie Fixins. These are a great quick Pierogie-like dish, and I will also give you this recipe, which is an excellent comfort food.

Quick Pierogies aka Pierogie Fixins (Breakfast, Brunch, Late-Night, serves 4)

• 2 sweet onions, sliced or chopped to preference
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups mashed potatoes, prepared
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• Sauerkraut (optional)
• Spinach, sautéed  (optional)
• 4 flour tortillas, burrito size (or spinach wraps, as pictured)
• Sour cream (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter, cut into 4 parts

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil.
2. Add onions and slowly cook until translucent. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt. Stir periodically.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Place 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 1 oz cheese, 2 tbsp spinach or sauerkraut if using, all on the center of a tortilla. Roll it like a burrito and set it on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat.
5. Place 1 pat of butter on each burrito and heat in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove to plates. Top with onions and their butter and sour cream.

Effing heaven. The problem is, it will kill me. So, I had to come up with an as tasty substitute.  Enter the Paleo Pierogi… How do I substitute mashed potatoes?  Cauliflower. How do I substitute tortillas or dough? Alternative flours. See my Paleo Crepes. Yes, it could be done.

Mashed Cauliflower  (Basics, Sides, serves 4)

• 1 head cauliflower, cut to florets
• 2 tbsp liquid of choice (milk, cream, stock)
•  1 tbsp fat of choice (butter, ghee, animal fat)
• 1 tsp granulated or minced garlic (optional)

1. Put florets into a pot or microwave-safe bowl. Add other ingredients.
2. Cover pot. Do not cover the microwave bowl.
3. Heat over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or microwave for 6 minutes.
4. Stir to coat. Add more liquid of choice to the pot, if necessary.
5. Heat over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or microwave for 6 minutes again.
6. Stir. Check softness. Put in a food processor, blender, or ricer or mash in a bowl.

Tip: if you want to add cheese to mashed cauliflower, just mix it in the food processor with hot cauliflower. No need to melt and risk fat separation.

Keto or Paleo Pierogies (Breakfast, Brunch, Late-Night, serves 4)

• 2 sweet onions, sliced or chopped to preference
• 4 tbsp butter or ghee
• 2 tbsp olive oil or fat
• 2 cups mashed cauliflower, prepared
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese (if you eat cheese)
• Sauerkraut (optional)
• Spinach, sautéed (optional)
• 8 Paleo crepes, prepared in 7″ nonstick pan
• Sour cream (optional)

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil.
2. Add onions and slowly cook until translucent. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt. Stir periodically.
3. Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Make crepes, if not already done
4. Place 1/4 cup mashed cauliflower, 1/2 oz cheese, 1 tbsp spinach or sauerkraut if using, all on the center of a crepe. Roll it like a burrito and set it on a plate. Repeat, placing 2 per plate.
5. Top with onions and their butter and sour cream (or alternative).

If the crepes are made in advance, follow the instructions in the oven to warm them after preparing the step above in the Quick Pierogies recipe.