Cheesy Baked Penne With Cauliflower And Crème Fraîche Food

CHEESY BAKED PENNE WITH CAULIFLOWER AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Cook cauliflower in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using large sieve, transfer cauliflower to bowl. Add tomatoes to pot; cook 1 minute. Remove from water; peel and dice tomatoes. Reserve pot of water.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and green onions. Cook 1 minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Cook until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups Comté cheese; whisk until melted and sauce is smooth. Whisk in 1/2 cup Parmesan, then crème fraîche and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Return reserved pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to same pot. Stir in cauliflower mixture and sauce.
• Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon in half of pasta mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Comté cheese. Top with remaining pasta mixture and 1/2 cup Comté cheese. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet. Add breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Remove from heat; mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Sprinkle crumbs over pasta. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pasta uncovered until heated through and bubbling, about 35 minutes.
• *Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

CHEESY BAKED CAULIFLOWER II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place cauliflower in a microwave-safe baking dish with just enough water to cover bottom of dish. Cook in the microwave on High for 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange tomato slices around the cauliflower. Drizzle cauliflower and tomatoes evenly with melted butter, and top with cheese.
• Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly.

CAULI-MACARONI CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, stir well, bring back to the boil and then cook, uncovered, for a couple of minutes. Tip in the cauliflower florets, bring back to the boil again and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until both the pasta and the cauliflower are tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well. Preheat a hot grill.
• Add the crème fraîche, mustard and all but a good handful of the cheese to the pasta pan. Stir over a low heat until the cheese just starts to melt. Tip the pasta and cauliflower into the cheese sauce and gently stir together. Season and transfer to a flameproof dish.
• Scatter the tomatoes over the top followed by the rest of the cheese and some pepper. Grill for about 5 minutes until browned and bubbling.