Roasted Cauliflower Gratin
Adapted from Ina Garten
I adore cauliflower, and anything that’s baked until cheesy & bubbly, so it made perfect sense that I would make this. It was so comforting & loaded with crunchy bits of cauliflower. This would be a perfect side dish to any meal. It’s rich, but not too rich, and I’ve lightened it up from the original recipe. Ina used gruyere cheese, but I opted for fontina & also roasted the cauliflower first. You can skip roasting the cauliflower, but I find that it gives it a much deeper taste when you roast it. Try it both ways!
Roasted Cauliflower Gratin
Servings: 6 ● Points Plus: 6
Ingredients:
- 3 lb head of cauliflower
- 2 TB Smart Balance or butter substitute
- 3 TB all purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk, warmed
- 1 cup grated fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 TB fresh thyme
- 1 TB paprika
Directions:
1) Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Spread out on a baking sheet & spray with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roast 30 minutes, or until it begins to brown, tossing halfway through.
2) Once the cauliflower is roasted, melt the Smart Balance. Add the flour and whisk together until a blonde paste forms. Slowly add the warm milk & whisk like crazy. Keep whisking until it begins to boil. Let it boil until it begins to thicken. Turn off heat, add 3/4 cup of the fontina, the parmesan, and a dash more salt & pepper.
3) Layer the cauliflower in a casserole dish & pour the cheese mixture over the top. Toss together. Add the breadcrumbs & remaining fontina on top. Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbling & the breadcrumbs are brown. If you want, you can broil for 5 minutes to make the breadcrumbs extra crispy.
