Add the cauliflower and chicken broth (2 cups) to a large pot, along with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower pieces, including any stems, are very tender when you stick a fork in them.
Drain the cauliflower and add it back to the pot.
Use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower to desired consistency. If you want it to be VERY smooth, use a food processor or blender to pulverize it.
Add the butter (2 tablespoons), heavy cream (1/4 cup), and fresh herbs to the mashed cauliflower. Continue to mash (or blend) until all ingredients are combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with more herbs and/or butter, if desired.
Notes
Time Saving Tip: The smaller the florets are cut, and the fewer thick stems there are, the shorter time this will take to cook. To save time, buy pre-cut florets from your grocery store. Here's a great tutorial on how to cut a cauliflower into florets.
You can use both the florets and the thicker stems. However, the stems will take longer to cook. I suggest making sure you allot more time for the recipe, and also cook the stems for about 15-20 minutes before adding the florets.
Using different herbs: I recommend using herbs that aren't very strong, such as basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, and/or mint. If you want to use stronger, tougher herbs, such as oregano or rosemary, I have two suggestions. Either cut the amount down to 1 tablespoon, as a little goes a long way, or infuse the herbs by adding them in cheesecloth to the boiling water as the cauliflower cooks and removing the bundle before mashing. The flavor will be there without any tough leaves.
For a vegan option, use olive oil instead of butter, vegetable broth or water instead of chicken, and plant-based milk alternative instead of half and half.
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate. It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.