Sweet Potato Cauliflower Gratin With Crispy Sage Leaves Food

MASHED POTATO AND CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Put potatoes and 2 teaspoons salt in a large heavy saucepan and generously cover with cold water (about 2 1/2 quarts). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While potatoes are boiling, heat 3/4 cup milk and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted and milk is hot but not boiling. Keep warm off heat, covered.
• Drain potatoes well in a sieve or colander and return to hot saucepan. Add milk mixture, Fontina, and pepper, and mash with a potato masher or fork to desired consistency. Season with salt and keep warm, covered.
• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add cauliflower and garlic and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 13 to 15 minutes.
• Drain cauliflower in a colander and pulse with remaining 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 3 tablespoons butter in a food processor until it's a chunky purée.
• Stir together mashed potatoes and cauliflower mixture in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a buttered 3-quart flameproof shallow baking dish (not glass).
• Heat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and gently brush over potato-cauliflower mixture, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (to taste). Bake until potato mixture bubbles around edges, about 20 minutes.
• Turn on broiler and broil 6 to 8 inches from heat until topping is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes.

SWEET POTATO-CAULIFLOWER GRATIN WITH CRISPY SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and 1 cup water. Cook, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and the chopped sage. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour a third of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Arrange a third of the sweet potato and cauliflower slices along the bottom. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat twice with remaining sauce and vegetables. Cover dish with parchment-lined foil and bake until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, crisp sage leaves: Heat 1 inch vegetable oil in a small pot over medium-high heat until surface is shimmering slightly. Add a few leaves at a time (they'll bubble up) and cook until crisp, but still bright green, about 10 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Season with salt. Top gratin with leaves.

GOLDEN POTATO AND CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Steps:

• Place the oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk creme fraiche and whipping cream until combined.
• In a large baking dish, approximately 9 by 13-inches, arrange 1/3 of potato slices, overlapping slightly. Generously season with salt, pepper, and some fresh thyme leaves. Drop 1/3 of the cream mixture in dollops over potatoes, and spread evenly, (layer will be very thin). Repeat with another layer. Layer for a 3rd and last time, covering the top of the potatoes with the cream mixture, then mini cauliflower florets, and generously season with salt, pepper, and remaining thyme.
• Bake 30 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to bake until top is golden brown, about 20 minutes longer.
• Do your best to let gratin rest 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Eat and enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a medium pot over medium heat until crispy and browned. Remove the bacon leaving the fat in the pot.
• Stir in the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook one minute more.
• Add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender.
• Remove about 1 cup of vegetables, chop, and set aside. Blend soup with a hand blender and bring back to a boil.
• Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Stir into simmering soup to thicken (add more if needed).
• Remove from heat and stir in chopped vegetables and cheese. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
• Top with crispy bacon and serve.

SWEET POTATO MASH

Steps:

• Pierce 4 sweet potatoes with a fork; microwave 8 minutes. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, then mash. Brown 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet, then add 8 sage leaves and fry until crisp; transfer to a plate. Cook 4 chopped scallions with salt and pepper in the browned butter. Drizzle over the sweet potatoes; top with the sage.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES & CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cauliflower, sweet potato, oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a 15-by-10-inch baking pan; stir to coat well.
• Roast the vegetables until just tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring twice.
• Sprinkle the vegetables with Parmesan; roast until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.

CHEESY SWEET POTATO AND CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Bake the sweet potatoes in a hot oven until tender. Set aside to cool for a few minutes. Put the cauliflower into a microwavable bowl, add a few TBS of water, cover with cling film and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes on high. Drain and set aside.
• Prepare the cheese sauce as below. Preheat your grill.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and lay them in the bottom of a greased oven proof dish. Drain the cauliflower and spoon it over the sweet potatoes. Spoon the hot cheese sauce over top (you may not need it all). Sprinkle with the grated cheese and the snipped chives. Grill for three to four minutes until golden and bubbling. Enjoy!
• To make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour, stirring until smooth. Let cook over low heat for one minute to cook the flour then slowly stir in the milk, whisking until smooth. Add the bay leaf and cook over medium low heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.