I'm on a mission to find yummy recipes using vegetables my husband doesn't think he likes. This recipe was on the back of another recipe given to him by a friend at school. We agreed that this way of eating cauliflower is delicious (though possibly not super healthful). My two-year old gobbled it down, as well.
Serves 6 to 8.
8 cups cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp. table salt
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Toss florets in oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Reduce oven to 350F.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. SImmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in half-and-half and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and all but 2 Tbs. of the cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Place cauliflower in an 8x8" glass baking dish or four 10-oz ramekins. Pour cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes:
- My picture is deceiving when it comes to the sauce. The original recipe indicates that 1 head of cauliflower will give you 8 cups of florets, but the ones at my grocery store only gave me about 4 cups. By the time I realized that, it was a bit late to halve the sauce. Oh well. Still good, just had too much sauce.
