Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, broken up into bite size florets, (approximately 8 cups)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cup whole milk
- 2 cup good quality white vermont cheddar cheese, (approximately 7 3/4 ounces) grated
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Blanch the cauliflower for 3 to 4 minutes or until just barely tender but still with a bit of bite.
Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl of ice water and cool completely.
Remove cauliflower from ice water and allow to dry completely, making sure that there is no excess moisture on the cauliflower as it will turn the gratin soggy.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the butter.
Allow the butter to melt and whisk in the flour a little at a time, making sure to break up any lumps.
Cook the flour and butter, stirring constantly, for 5 to 6 minutes, making sure that the mixture doesn’t get any color at all.
Slowly whisk in the milk and bring the mixture up to a very low simmer.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 8 to 12 minutes; the flour taste will be gone and the sauce should be smooth.
Stir often and make sure the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Slowly whisk 1 cup of the cheddar into the sauce and mix well until completely melted and smooth.
Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
If the sauce thickens too much, thin it out with a little milk.
Place the cauliflower in an even layer in a 10-inch x 10-inch ovenproof baking dish and drizzle the sauce evenly over the cauliflower.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the cauliflower and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, the top will begin to turn light golden brown in places.
Remove cauliflower from the oven and let stand at room temp for 5 minutes before serving.
