Mom probably wouldn't have called this Cauliflower Gratin, nor would she have baked it. But many were the times that she coated cauliflower, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts in a cheese sauce. I mean, really, when you have five kids, you'll do anything to get them {ALL] to eat vegetables. Cheese is usually the answer.
{Scroll to the recipe card to read about ways to make this gluten- and dairy-free.}
How to prepare the cauliflower for Cauliflower Gratin
To prepare the cauliflower, cut off the lower leaves on the head, then cut the florets into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
The cauliflower needs to be steamed just a bit before mixing with the bechamel so put them in a small pot with just a bit of water. You could also use a steaming basket. Steam them till they are barely soft. They still need to bake so be sure not to overcook in this stage.
And now we turn our attention to the bechamel:
A bechamel (pronounced "beh-shah-mel") is one of the mother sauces in classic French cooking. It's simply a white sauce that starts with a simple roux. A roux is is melted butter whisked with flour. Yes, gluten-free flour substitutes work! As does cassava flour.
After the flour is cooked a couple of minutes, add milk and cream, then cook it, stirring while it thickens.
I must offer a nod to my Southern heritage right here … fat + flour + milk = gravy! And then they put that goodness on top of biscuits! That's what Southerners did with the French bechamel. Boom! And we can possibly give credit to Thomas Jefferson's French-trained chef, James Hemings.
The bechamel itself doesn't include cheese, but it acts as the foundation for many other sauces, including cheese sauce. I prefer Gruyere with the cauliflower (and MANY other things!). Just put it in, let it melt, and oh my goodness …
Then add freshly grated nutmeg. If you can't find whole nutmeg, you can certainly use ground, but the flavor is so French! I just use the same microplane that I use for everything!
How to assemble Cauliflower Gratin
Pour the bechamel cheese sauce over the steamed cauliflower and stir it gently, being sure to coat all the pieces. Put the coated cauliflower in a baking dish (or a few smaller ones), grate parmesan cheese on top, and put it in a 400F oven. If you have fresh bread crumbs, put them on now so they brown as the cauliflower bakes.
If you don't have fresh bread crumbs, put the cauliflower gratin in the oven till it starts browning.
If you don't have fresh bread crumbs, add dried bread crumbs just before serving.
Recipe
Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 heads white cauliflower about 3 pounds
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour blend
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper can use white if you don't want black specks
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ cup Gruyere grated
- 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups fresh bread crumbs see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Remove the green leaves from the cauliflower and cut the florets from the core. Be sure they are all about the same size so that they cook evenly. Put them in a large sauce pan with a small amount of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Steam until the florets are just barely starting to soften.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour, then whisk over low heat for about a minute, taking care not to let it start browning. Add the milk and cream while continuing to whisk. Increase the heat to medium and stir constantly while the mixture starts to thicken. When the mixture is the right thickness, add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and add the Gruyere. Stir till it melts.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower florets and coat them generously. Put the coated cauliflower florets in a baking dish, top with Parmesan cheese, and fresh bread crumbs.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes. This generous gap of timing is to allow for the size you cut the florets and how long you steamed them. You don't want to overcook the cauliflower in the steaming step because they need to bake long enough for the cheese sauce to start browning while baking.
Notes
- Use a nut milk. I think pecan milk, or macadamia milk would be awesome! Or make your own cashew milk easily by blending 1 cup of cashews with 2 ½ cups of water and a pinch of salt. These can also be purchased if you don't want to make them.
- Instead of a butter substitute, use duck fat if you're not vegetarian.
- I've never seen dairy-free Gruyere! However, there's lots of dairy-free cheddars and that would be delicious as well.
Robyn
I was excited to try this recipe until I got to the ingredients. You lost me at 1/2 cup of cheese. CHEESE. IS. NOT. SOLD. IN. CUPS. Cheese, like flour, should be measured by weight, NEVER by volume. I have five cheese graters, and each one provides a very different shred. The total amount of cheese in 1/2 cup varies greatly between the different tools. So my search continues.
Tammy Circeo
Point taken. I'll revise the recipe to include weight. However, cheese is sold by weight only when it is not grated. When it is sold grated, you'll usually find the weight as well as the "cups". It's not a perfect remedy, but it is absolutely the way it is done. At least here in the US.
In the meantime, I suggest that you grate the cheese on a grater that most home cooks would have in their kitchens or would be able to acquire even in the "gadgets" section of their grocery store. Not many home cooks have FIVE cheese graters to compare the outcome with. Most have one or two. I think you would meet with success of flavor never minding exactitude. And if you want more or less cheese, adjust the recipe to your tastes. I'll not be in the least offended!