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Cauliflower and Gruyère Gratin

Source of Recipe

From "Down South" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"Cauliflower is an underrated and underappreciated vegetable. When eaten plain or raw it really is not very exciting. However, when combined with cream, curry, or cheese—or best of all, all of them—it transforms into a sleeper hit. When serving this dish, remember that it is very rich and intense and only a small portion is needed: It works great as a side but can also be used in place of a sauce for almost any meat dish."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
â—¦ ½ large onion, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon curry powder
â—¦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon white pepper
â—¦ 1 teaspoon garam masala
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 3 cups whole milk
â—¦ 2 cups heavy cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 large head cauliflower or 3 small heads, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces (about 12 cups)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
â—¦ 1 ½ cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook slowly over low heat until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper, and garam masala. Cook, stirring to combine and heat the spices, for 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until the ingredients are well combined.

Slowly pour in the milk and cream, stirring well to fully incorporate. Add the thyme and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and lemon juice. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cheese, stir to incorporate, and pour into the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and combine with the bread crumbs. Top the cauliflower with the bread crumbs and bake until the cauliflower is tender and the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8 to 12