Cauliflower Cheese

Cauliflower Cheese is a delicious dish of cauliflower baked in the cheesiest cheddar sauce until it is bubbly and golden.

Cauliflower cheese is the name for an English dish. No, it's not cheese made from cauliflower. It's cauliflower smothered in a sauce loaded with real cheddar cheese, and then baked. Along with the cheese, it's flavored with mustard powder and ground cayenne.

I think one of the first things I learned to make in "home economics" class was white sauce, or béchamel. In fact, I'm pretty sure we used it to make macaroni and cheese. As I made this cauliflower cheese, I was having flashbacks to 7th grade.

While I'm not a big fan of pretend food (don't get me started on cauliflower pizza crust), this cauliflower casserole is reminiscent of mac and cheese, without the al dente. Flavor wise, this dish could also be mistaken for cheesy mashed potatoes, only with less carbs.

You will love this cauliflower cheese. It's wonderful fresh from the oven. It also makes fabulous leftovers, reheated in the oven or toaster oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.

You could definitely play around with this dish, adding other vegetables and herbs, or topping it with breadcrumbs. I'm pretty happy with it just the way it is.

Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cauliflower (2 to 2 1/4 pounds)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons (1 ounce) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups (5 1/2 ounces) very sharp white cheddar cheese, plus 4 tablespoons, reserved
• Chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim and cut the cauliflower into florets. Parboil the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Drain the florets and spread them out over kitchen towels to drain off any extra moisture. Set aside.
2. In a 3 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Add the mustard powder, peppers, and stir.
3. Add the milk in a thin steady stream while whisking constantly. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring with a spoon, until the mixture thickens. Add in the 5 1/2 ounces of cheese, one handful at a time, stirring each time until each addition is melted. Season the sauce to taste.
4. Add the cauliflower to to a 2 quart casserole and evenly cover with the sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated cheese and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbly and a deep golden brown. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

This month, the Avid Bakers are making Cauliflower Cheese from the amazing blog Smitten Kitchen. Many thanks to Hanaâ's Kitchen for choosing this wonderful recipe.