The Best Easy Cauliflower Rice with Garlic and Green Onion

Ingredients

• 4 heaping cups smallish same-size cauliflower pieces, stems included
• 2 T olive oil
• 8 large cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise if really big
• 1 cup sliced green onion
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bag riced cauliflower from Trader Joe's or other store
• 1 1/2 T olive oil
• 5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• 3/4 cup sliced green onion

Directions

1. Trim the cauliflower, stems and all, into small, fairly even pieces until you have 4 generous cups. Fit the food processor with the steel blade, then pulse 2 cups of cauliflower at a time in quick bursts until it looks rice-like, just a bit bigger than actual rice. A Cuisinart 7 Cup Food Processor works nicely here. If you are starting with bagged cauliflower rice, this is the easy part: open the bag.
2. Peel the garlic, and cut the cloves in half lengthwise. Slice enough green onions for however much cauliflower you are cooking.
3. Warm the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until the pan feels hot when you hover your hand above it. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, just until the garlic aroma comes up. The moment the garlic shows even the slightest change in color, take it out of the pan and throw it away. Do not let it brown, or it can make the oil taste bitter.
4. Add the cauliflower to the hot pan, then season it well with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring and turning the cauliflower frequently, until it begins to soften and no longer tastes raw, about 3-4 minutes. Taste a little if you want to check the texture; it can stay a bit crisp.
5. Turn off the heat, mix in the green onions, and serve right away.