With cauliflower florets, a bechamel (simple white sauce), and some grated hard cheese, you’ve got yourself a rich, wintery side dish or main course.
What I like about this particular gratin is that cauliflower readily takes on just about any flavor you throw at it, so it’s quite customizable. Staying in the vegetarian lane, add any herb or spice you like. It could be different each time you make it. For non-vegetarians, consider adding cubed ham, pre-cooked shredded chicken, smoked white fish, or tuna. This dish is yours for playing.
Arliano Update (Aggiornamento Arliano):
Some exciting news — construction of our pool has begun. This will be the last major project we tackle other than some minor landscaping. After being in Arliano (a small village in the Lucca Province) for nearly four years, we’ve been in constant renovation mode with two houses and an apartment within the property to fully overhaul and furnish from soup-to-nuts. Dealing with contractors, project managers, engineers and government officials for permits, etc., in a foreign country and foreign language has been a great learning experience, but we’re ready to get off the renovation merry-go-round. Will we even remember how to enjoy the fruits of our labor? Hopefully festive pool floaties and some spritzes will remind us.
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Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
- 1 cup (236ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (about 3 ounces) finally grated parmesan cheese, divided (or, any other hard cheese that you prefer)
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 + 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Optional add-ins to the bechamel sauce: either 1 teaspoon of curry powder or 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. Or, consider any savory herb or spice you like
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C)
- Remove the core from the head of the cauliflower and chop it into bite size florets
- Heat the milk, without boiling, in the microwave or a separate small saucepan. Set it aside. Make the bechamel by melting the butter then adding the flour into a small saucepan. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the pan with the butter and flour and whisk until it becomes a paste. Then very slowly add in the milk while whisking. Continue to heat and whisk until the bechamel thickens to a loose ribbon stage (the sauce should fall off the whisk and leave ribbon patterns in the pan). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add half of the grated cheese and whisk to combine, then set the saucepan aside
- In a small bowl combine the breadcrumbs and the remaining half cup of grated cheese and set it aside
- Place the cauliflower florets in a large mixing bowl and pour the bechamel over the cauliflower and stir it until all the florets are equally coated. Transfer the florets into a (approximately 8 X 8-inch / 20 X 20 cm) baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and give the florets a quick stir. If you are adding meat or fish, do so now. Then add the bread and grated cheese mixture on top and bake for an additional 20 minutes until you can easily pierce a cauliflower floret with a knife and the bread and cheese mixture is golden brown
Greg Nelson Cooks 
So glad for you both for that renovations are coming to an end! I’m I’m sure it will take a bit of time, but I bet you’ll remember how to lay back and enjoy all the fruits of your laborers. Happy new year to you.????
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