Oh. My. Goodness.
This dish is unbelievably good. The recipe came to me via fellow food writer Perre Coleman Magness' blog The Runaway Spoon.
I made a couple of minor tweaks to Magness' recipe -- scaled back the butter a hair and added black pepper and a bit of garlic powder -- and the result was a cauliflower gratin so good that even my cooked-cauliflower-avoiding husband helped himself to a second and third helping.
It is that good.
The rich, luscious dish would be perfect for the Thanksgiving table, or any special occasion.
Be sure to splurge for real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and grate it yourself. The stuff labeled simply "parmesan" just won't do this dish justice.
Cauliflower-Parmesan Gratin
1 whole head cauliflower, trimmed
Salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Place the whole head of cauliflower in a large, deep pot and cover with water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower can be easily pierced with a fork or tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Transfer cauliflower to a cutting board and cut in half. Set aside to cool.
Wipe the pot clean.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2-quart baking dish.
When the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, remove tough outer core and any leaves and finely chop -- it should be fine like rice.
Over medium-low heat, heat butter in the pot until melted and foamy. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is completely coated in butter and mixture is smooth. Whisk in the milk and reserved cooking water and cook until mixture thickens slightly. Add the cheese, a bit at a time, whisking until melted before the next addition. Stir in the finely chopped cauliflower and mix thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through and just turning golden around the edges. Serve immediately.
Leftovers can be reheated in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes the next day, though some separation will occur.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe adapted from therunawayspoon.com
Food on 11/18/2015