Cauliflower Craze

As mentioned in another blog post, cauliflower dishes have been trendy lately.

During my culinary school experience, I made three different cauliflower dishes in one assignment. I’ve never eaten so much cauliflower in one sitting before. Today, I will share the second dish, cauliflower gratin.

What is Gratin?

Gratin, a French term, is a technique where the dish develops a delicious browned crust after it’s baked in the oven.

Cauliflower Gratin Recipe

Yield servings: 4

• 1 pound organic cauliflower florets
• ½ teaspoon fresh organic lemon juice
• 6 ounces Mornay sauce (one of the mother sauces)
  • 2 ounces organic unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 1 quart organic whole milk
  • 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon organic white pepper
• ¼ ounce organic panko bread crumbs
• ¼ ounce freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ ounce melted unsalted butter
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Non-stick cooking spray

Kitchen Equipment

• Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Food scale
• Saucepot
• Spoon
• Whisk
• Grater
• Saucepot
• Slotted spoon
• Oven mitts
• Baking pan
• Plate
• Serving spoon
• Fork

Cooking Instructions

1. Sanitize kitchen (sink, faucets, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, smart devices, and computer).
2. Rinse the cauliflower head and chop it into florets.
3. Rinse lemon and juice.
4. Make the mornay sauce.
   1. Grate cheese.
   2. Mise en place ingredients.
   3. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium-heat stovetop.
   4. Add flour and whisk until there are no lumps. This will create a roux.
   5. Cook for a couple of minutes.
   6. Slowly add the milk while whisking simultaneously.
   7. The roux and milk will create a smooth and thick consistency.
   8. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
   9. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken.
   10. The sauce will create a nappe consistency that will coat the food evenly.
   11. Add in Gruyère cheese and stir until melted.
   12. Once the sauce is thick, remove it from the heat.
   13. Season with salt and white pepper.
   14. Transfer the sauce to a glass bowl and reserve for the cauliflower gratin dish.
5. Melt the butter.
6. Mise en place ingredients.
7. Boil water in a pot and add salt.
8. Add cauliflower and lemon juice into the salted boiling water pot.
9. Lower the heat and cover the pot.
10. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender.
11. Drain the cauliflower.
12. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
13. Add cauliflower to the pan about 2 inches high.
14. Cover the cauliflower with the mornay sauce.
15. Combine the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
16. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
17. Drizzle melted butter on the top as well.
18. Bake in a 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes.
19. Brown the top under a broiler. **CAUTION: closely monitor the dish under the broiler to prevent charring.**
20. Serve immediately.

Happy cooking,

FS x