Cauliflower Cheese(gratin)
….Cauliflower is one ingredient that I am not interested in. It’s not a vegetable I use often, so I have some prejudices. I went grocery shopping at a farmers market, and they were giving two cauliflowers as a gift today. I hesitated for a while whether to take it or not. Free is hard to give up. Um…my troubles started when I got the cauliflowers, a bumpy and hard vegetable. What should I cook with these cauliflowers? Typically, only the head is eaten. I started researching about cauliflower. Cauliflower is a good source of fiber and vitamins. Its ingredients may help strengthen bones, boost the cardiovascular system, and prevent cancer. It’s a common ingredient, but I neglected it too much. I’m going to use it more often now. Finally, I found this recipe which I ate as a side dish at a restaurant . The taste was very nutty and soft.
Servings: 6–7
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 Kg(2 lb, cauliflower florets), cut into small size
- 2 Ts extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 ts sea salt
- 1/8 ts black pepper
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese, grated
- parsley for garnish
For cheese sauce(mornay sauce):
- 4 Ts unsalted butter
- 3 Ts flour, all-purpose
- 1 cup milk, heated until hot but not boiling
- 1 cup heavy cream, heated until hot but not boiling
- 1/2 ts sea salt
- 1/4 ts nutmeg powder
- 100 g/1 cup cheddar cheese, diced
- 50 g/ 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, diced
Cooking Instructions:
- Put the cauliflower into a bowl and add the sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper into the bowl to toss well.
2. Preheat the oven to 430 F. Place the marinaded cauliflower onto a tray.
3. Cook in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until slightly under cooked with a bit of color.
4. Meanwhile, heat a pan with medium heat and add the unsalted butter and flour into the pan to stir them for 2–3 minutes with a whisk.
5. Pour the warm milk and heavy cream into the pot while stirring(use whisk if needed to remove lumps)for 1 minute.
6. Add the sea salt, nutmeg powder, cheddar cheese, and gruyere cheese into the pot to stir them until melted(should be thick but pourable). Set aside.
7. After 20 minutes, take out the baked cauliflower onto a counter. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
8. Add the baked cauliflower into the sauce pot. Stir to coat.
9. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish.
10. Sprinkle the grated cheddar and gruyere cheese on top of the mixture.
11. Cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
12. Turn off the oven heat and take out cauliflower gratin onto a counter and sprinkle some parsley. Serve it.
You can also view this recipe on instagram.
