French cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Cauliflower Gratin with Gruyère

Parboiled, still-firm cauliflower baked golden brown under a light béchamel and grated gruyère.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 cauliflower (approx. 1 kg)
• 50 g butter
• 50 g flour
• 600 ml whole milk
• 150 g grated gruyère
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Trim the cauliflower and divide into equal-sized florets, peel and dice the tender stalk; preheat the oven to 200 °C top/bottom heat.
2. Boil the florets in plenty of salted water for 6-8 min. until a knife tip just pierces them, then drain and let drip dry well - still firm, as they will finish cooking in the oven.
3. Briefly heat the milk with the bay leaf, melt 40 g butter in a pot, stir in the flour and sweat lightly for 2 min. without letting it color.
4. Gradually pour in the hot milk without the bay leaf, stirring constantly, and simmer the sauce gently for 5-6 min. until it coats the ladle thickly; stir in two-thirds of the gruyère and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Place the cauliflower in a baking dish greased with the remaining butter, pour the béchamel over it and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
6. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 min. until the surface is patchily golden brown and the sauce bubbles at the edge, then let rest for 5 min. and serve.