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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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This looks beautiful and tastes very very good. I like it for a company dinner. Excellent with roasted or grilled meats-beef, lamb, chicken, the works. Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (purple if you are feeling mischievous) |
bechamel sauce |
3 t butter |
1/2 t flour |
2 c 2% lactose-free milk |
2 t cream |
salt to taste |
nutmeg |
Directions:
1. Trim the cauliflower, carving out some of the bitter core, and boil for 15 m or until a knife goes in easily.
2. Remove carefully from the pot, trying to keep it from breaking up.
3. Set in a baking dish just large enough to hold it. If it does break apart, try to reconstruct it.
4. Pour over it the Bechamel sauce, made as follows:
5. melt the butter in a small saute pan
6. stir in the flour
7. let cook gently until it bubbles up and does not smell of raw flour
8. whisk in 1/2 c milk and whisk the mixture smooth
9. simmer until it starts to thicken, then whisk madly until it has thickened to runny pudding texture.
10. Add the rest of the milk and the cream, a grind (or pinch) of nutmeg, and whisk smooth again.
11. Cook, below a simmer if possible, but it's OK if it starts to bubble (that's why you need the lactose-free milk, because it's processed and won't curdle)
12. Whisk frequently, cook about 15 m, more is fine if the heat is low. You want a thin but creamy sauce, very very smooth.
13. Pour over the cauliflower, covering all of it. The sauce should be abundant.
14. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 m, or until the top is an improbably dark golden brown.
15. Serve at the table. If you have used purple cauliflower, people will be pleasantly startled.
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