Name: Cauliflower Gratin
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower, cored, broken into bite-sized florets (see How to Cut and Core Cauliflower ) -; 2 medium-small leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-in thick slices, white and light green parts only, about 2 cups -; 2 tablespoons butter -; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour -; 1 1/3 cups milk -; 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated -; 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme -; 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg -; 1 teaspoon salt -; Black pepper -; Topping: -; 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (3 slices sandwich or rustic bread, pulsed in a food processor) -; 1 tablespoon butter -; 1/4 teaspoon salt -; Black pepper -

Ingredients for - Cauliflower Gratin

1. 1 head cauliflower, cored, broken into bite-sized florets (see How to Cut and Core Cauliflower )

2. 2 medium-small leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-in thick slices, white and light green parts only, about 2 cups

3. 2 tablespoons butter

4. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5. 1 1/3 cups milk

6. 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

7. 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

8. 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

9. 1 teaspoon salt

10. Black pepper

11. Topping:

12. 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (3 slices sandwich or rustic bread, pulsed in a food processor)

13. 1 tablespoon butter

14. 1/4 teaspoon salt

15. Black pepper

How to cook deliciously - Cauliflower Gratin

1 . Stage

Cook the leeks: Melt butter on medium heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the sliced leeks and gently cook until completely softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

2 . Stage

Lightly steam the cauliflower: While the leeks are cooking, place cauliflower florets in a steamer basket in a saucepan over an inch of water. Bring water to a boil, cover, and steam the cauliflower for 3 to 4 minutes. The steaming should just take the rawness out of the cauliflower, but not cook it so much that it is tender. You want the cauliflower at this stage to be al dente. Remove strainer and cauliflower from hot pan and set aside.

3 . Stage

Make roux with butter, leeks, flour, add milk: Add 2 Tbsp of flour to the leeks and butter. Stir and let cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk, stirring as you add it to break up any lumps. Bring to a low simmer and continue to stir as the sauce thickens.

4 . Stage

Stir in cheese, thyme, nutmeg, salt: Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stir in 3 ounces of the shredded cheese (reserving the rest of the cheese for the topping), the thyme, nutmeg, and salt.

5 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

6 . Stage

Pour sauce over cauliflower in gratin dish: Spread a teaspoon of butter over the insides of a 2-quart gratin dish. Place the lightly steamed cauliflower florets in an even layer in the dish. Pour the leek and cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.

7 . Stage

Toast the breadcrumbs: While the gratin is baking, melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and toast in the melted butter for 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a sprinkling of pepper. Remove from heat.

8 . Stage

Top the gratin with toasted breadcrumbs and bake: After the gratin has baked for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven. Sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs over the top and return to the oven. Bake for 5 more minutes.