Dill and Olive Oil Roasted Cauliflower

Do not be fooled by the fact that we discuss "cauliflower" on my Facebook page.  We do.  And when you think of that, or when I think of that it reminds me of a skit, I think from SNL, "The Delicious Dish" where they would discuss, rice and various other boring foods!  If you haven't seen it, this will mean nothing, if you have, you know what I me an.

Anyway, a reader of Chefwannabe mentioned that one night out of desperation she made this recipe.  I believe she used butter instead of olive oil, which I WILL do soon and a packet of Hidden Valley Harvest Dill seasoning mix.  Oh, and I almost forgot, I used a fresh head of cauliflower as well, instead of frozen. 

Ayyyyee carumba!!!  Delicious!  I don't know if I can ever eat cauliflower any other way!  This is easy and so packed with flavor.  I used a small-medium head of cauliflower but I would guess you could easily still get the same flavor punch from 2 heads, or one very large head.

Here is what you will need:

Fresh cauliflower (2 sm-med heads)
2 T. olive oil
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Harvest Dill Seasoning

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Divide your cauliflower into bite size pieces.  In a bowl add in cauliflower, olive oil and seasoning packet.  Toss until all cauliflower is coated with seasoning.  Dump until a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes depending on if you like your cauliflower to still have crunch, or like it soft!

I won't be upset if you sprinkle a little fresh grated parm on this before serving. 

ENJOY!

Perfect Cauliflower Gratin

Even the Super Bowl won't keep me from cooking!  I, being a hardcore Philadelphia Eagles fan, have no interest in the Super Bowl.  As long as the Giants don't win, the world will go on as planned in the morning.  We still have our snow, hoping that it will decide to melt this week and it can be just a distant bad memory.  I am being so spoiled this winter!  I have a complete love/hate relationship with snow.  Anyway...

So instead of watching the game. I made my usual big Sunday supper and since I had picked up a head of cauliflower on sale the other day, I wanted to do something besides just eat it raw, which I love.  I thought I might even get my husband to try this.  I mean throw a nice bechamel on anything and he will eat it.  But, wrong again, he wasn't touching it with a 10 ft. pole.   I managed to take a healthy vegetable and worked it into something creamy, cheesy, and delicious.  I mean, why not, right?  Sometimes I think cauliflower gets a bad reputation.  I mean, it is just a boring, white, clump of lumpy veg but, it deserves to be in the spotlight once in awhile, doesn't it?!?


Cauliflower Gratin
1 head of fresh cauliflower
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk  *could substitute this with chicken stock as well*
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter (additional, this should be melted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a casserole dish, separate cauliflower into bite size florets.  Spread out in the bottom of the dish in a single layer.  Set this aside while you make the bechamel.  In a small saucepan melt 1 tbsp butter, add flour and whisk until flour is a very light brown.  Add milk and heavy cream.  Let simmer 2-3 minutes, salt and pepper sauce and pour over cauliflower. The sauce should only cover the bottom of your casserole dish, depending on the size it might comp up the sides a bit.  You don't want it to drown your cauliflower, that is why it is such a small amount!  Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and parmesan cheese.  Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumbs.  Bake 30-35 minutes.  

I hope you enjoy this dish.  Make sure to at least lightly salt and pepper!!!

Your "cauliflower dreamin'" chefwannabe

Chris

It may sound hard or fancy, and it in fact, could be used for a fancy meal.  It is not hard.  Not at all.