Ingredients
- 1 (3 pound) head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
- Kosher Salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups hot milk
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, ½ cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan cheese.
Pour one third of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining ¼ cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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REVIEWS (249)
Excellent. Only made 2 subs: cinnamon for nutmeg and Panko for fresh breadcrumbs. True keeper.
This was outrageously delicious! I didn't have milk so I used a combination of chicken stock (left over from the Company Pot Roast I was making and heavy cream...yes, rich, but so good!
Another winner from Ina. I personally skipped blanching the cauliflower as I prefer my vegetables to be a little more firm and frankly I can't imagine it ever needing it. They were still tender and cooked through after 35 minutes in the oven. I additionally omitted the breadcrumbs and additional butter on top and just used a bit more cheese. I don't think the dish needed any extra, but if you want a crunchier top then I would use them. Perfect side dish (if not a little rich for a winter evening.
This is sooooo yummy. I added a bit more cauliflower to reach 3 lbs. I used some half and half in place of milk.
This was AWESOME...wow, Ina. Wow. Guilty comfort food--I'd eat this over mac 'n cheese any day, and I'm from Wisconsin--so that's saying something.
Used advice from reading reviews and made a few changes, and this dish was absolutely delish! Did not cook cauliflower, just threw it in the casserole dish. Also used an aged wisconsin white cheddar cheese in place of gruyere. Love the Barefoot Contessa!
I have never been disappointed by one of Ina's recipes. Don't make substitutes for the parmesan and gruyere - no way the dish will be the same without them. Same for the nutmeg - don't omit - it was the icing on the cake! Not necessarily inexpensive to make due to the cost of the cheeses, but will definitely impress your dinner guests.
SOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delicious and easy. I made this for a lazy Saturday at home lunch as the main dish (no sides. We split it among 4 people and it gave each a generous helping. Didn't have Gruyere on hand so I used sharp cheddar instead. Worked wonderfully. Will make again.
I have been wanting to make this recipe for over 5 years now and finally got the chance on Christmas day. As the recipe is written, I cannot fathom how it is receiving a 5-star rating from just about everyone. There are two major flaws. The first is overcooked cauliflower. Why does Ina have us blanch the cauliflower for 5 or 6 minutes then bake another 30 minutes in the oven? The result is cauliflower mush. Trust me. Do NOT blanch the cauliflower. The second is the bechamel sauce. It should be made from equal parts butter & flour or even slightly more butter than flour. Why does the recipe call for a 2:3 butter/flour ratio? The resulting sauce was super thick and had an overpowering flour flavor. I'm giving it only 2 stars because, although it tasted great, the mushy cauliflower and overly thick sauce made the texture unappetizing. I would make it again, but only with the changes I've mentioned.
Very delicious and easy to make. I made this as a side for Thanksgiving and everyone gushed about how much they like it. I can't find Gruyere where I live so I substituted mozzarella. To be honest, I was too lazy to make fresh bread crumbs and melt additional butter to drizzle over the top, so I skipped both steps. It still turned out very yummy. I will definately be making this again!
Easy to prepare and, oh so tasty. Truly an elegant side dish and everyone commented on how much they enjoyed it. Will always include it on my Christmas table, right next to the standing rib roast.