Cauliflower Au Gratin

I will be honest here, I am not a huge cauliflower fan. There’s something about the off smell when it’s cooking that bothers me. But when I tasted this dish, my mind was blown. It is so delicious and light! The flavors of the stock, Dijon, and Gruyere cheese with the cauliflower are phenomenal. I would eat this every week. My family loved it too, so it’s definitely in the Rio rolodex of recipes. I hope you try it and like it! And please let me know in the comments below.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN

• Large cauliflower head, cut into small florets, stems reserved
• Grated Parmesan
• Fresh chives, chopped plus more for garnish
• Unsalted butter
• Shallot
• Garlic cloves
• Vegetable stock or Chicken stock
• Whole milk
• Dijon mustard or prepared horseradish
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Shredded Gruyere cheese or Swiss

HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

• Cut cauliflower into small florets; reserve the chopped stems and ½ cup florets for later.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the cauliflower and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Drain the cauliflower, then in a bowl, toss with Parmesan and 2 Tbsp chives; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In a skillet over low heat, melt the butter and add shallots, garlic, and reserved stems and cauliflower.
• Cook, stirring until tender but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add stock and bring to a boil.
• Turn heat up to high and cook until all of the stock has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Transfer to a blender, add milk, Dijon, and salt and pepper; blend until smooth.
• Add pureed mixture to the bowl with the cauliflower florets-Parmesan mixture; toss to coat.
• Transfer to a 8 or 9-inch square grease baking dish.
• Top with Gruyere cheese.
• Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
• Garnish with chives.
• Serve warm