Chef Comerfords Cauliflower Gratin Food

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Trim the cauliflower and cut into florets.
• Steam the cauliflower in a large pot with a little water over medium-low heat until tender. Remove the cauliflower from the pot to a towel to remove excise moisture.
• Heat the butter in a medium saucepan (2-quart) over medium heat. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps.
• Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add the nutmeg.
• Put the cauliflower into the prepared pan. Top with half of the cheese. Pour the white sauce (bechamel) over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs.
• Bake, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

CHEF COMERFORD'S CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Trim the cauliflower and cut into florets.
• Steam the cauliflower in a large pot with a little water over medium-low heat until tender. Remove the cauliflower from the pot to a towel to remove excise moisture.(Or you could roast the cauliflower for about 30 minutes, turning once, at 400*F.).
• Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, whisking all the time to make sure there are no lumps.
• Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, and let the sauce thicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add the nutmeg.
• Put the cauliflower into the prepared pan. Top with half of the cheese. Pour the white sauce (bechamel) over the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs.
• Bake, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

TRUFFLED CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into butter; cook and stir until raw flour taste cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture. Increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir truffled pecorino cheese, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg into milk mixture until cheese sauce is thick.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add cauliflower and cook until slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer cauliflower to prepared baking dish. Spread cheese sauce evenly over cauliflower. Dust with bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh chives.

FOUR-CHEESE CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• For the sauce, melt the butter in a shallow saucepan. When it's just starting to sizzle, stir in the flour to make a paste. Cook for a minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Stir through the mustard, cream cheese, truffle oil (if using) and parmesan, and cook over a low heat until thickened. Season with lots of black pepper.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Trim the leaves off the cauliflowers and slice into rough steaks about 1cm thick. Don't worry about the outside bits not being slices - it will all be used. Assemble the dish a bit like a lasagne. Spoon a quarter of the cheese sauce into a large baking dish and spread it out, then add half of the cauliflower. Repeat the process, finishing with a thick layer of sauce. Scatter over the mozzarella, and the gruyère or cheddar and crispy onions.
• Bake for 1 hr 30-1 hr 45 mins until the cheese is golden and the cauliflower is soft but not mushy. If you want a golden finish, you can grill it (keep an eye on it) or leave it in when you turn the oven up for the crackling, if making the salt & vinegar roast pork as well. Once baked, leave to stand for 10 mins before serving in the middle of the table.