Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Gratin

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Author: Giangi Townsend

Easy to prepare side dish. Bubbly cheese over perfectly cooked cauliflower. Great side dish!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, + more for baking dish unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 ½ cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
6 ounces goat cheese, cut into small pieces
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cauliflower, head cut into florets
salt and pepper, to season
1 tablespoons chives, chopped finely
lemon, sliced and optional

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉ and butter a 10-inch gratin baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the lemon wedges.
Add the cauliflowers to the boiling water and bring back to a boil. After 3 minutes, Insert a knife in one of the florets; it should be hard to the touch and slightly soft on the outside.
Once done, drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat melt butter and whisk in the flour. Stir to blend and cook for one minute. Gradually add the milk while whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat once it has thickened.
Add the Monterey Jack cheese, and incorporate it well. Add 3/4 of the goat cheese and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese, chopped chives—season with salt and pepper.
Pour over the cauliflower and stir well until all the florets are covered with the sauce.
Scrape the mixture into the buttered gratin dish. Spread the rest of the goat cheese and parmesan cheese over it.
Place the gratin dish over a cookie sheet (for spillage) and bake until the cauliflower is tender and the top bobbly and golden brown.
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

How to remove the smell of the cauliflower when cooking.

Life lesson from my grandmother for when cooking cauliflower.

She taught me to squeeze a teaspoon of lemon in the water or place some slices of lemon in the water that I will be boiling alongside the cauliflower.

The lemon will absorb the smell that we are not too fond of.

Storing and reheating information

Bring back to room temperature.

Cover with aluminum foil, place in preheated oven to 300F, and bake until warm, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.