Welcome to my kitchen!

My love of cooking started when I was 11 years old. For my 12th birthday my Aunt gave me a cookbook. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal, so with that the first meal I ever made was cinnamon french toast with maple butter. It was a huge success and I have been cooking ever since. With this blog I hope to share my love of cooking by publishing recipes that I have tweeked and experimented with as well as recipes that have been in my family for centuries.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Everything goes with cheese

Cauliflower Gratin


When it comes to making side dishes, you want to make sure you aren't sticking to the same old-same old. My solution, vegetables paired with cheese. It's essentially a match made in heaven!

Ingredients



1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.



Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.



Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.



Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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