Cauliflower Au Gratin - a treat for Evon

"It is delicious, its versatile, it is a good substitute for the standard potato dish. If you need a fourth reason, it is filling so you don't need a lot.

Evon, the resident's coordinator for Rushall Park and Braeside Park, loves vegetables. For her, cauliflower is a go-to veggie because there are so many meals you can make from it.

"This au gratin gives me the decadence of potato au gratin without the guilt," she says.

She advises people to blanche the cauliflower first so you don't end up with a dried-out, undercooked cauliflower. Make sure to dry the cauliflower well before layering it into the sauce so you don't end up with a watery mess!

Recipe:

YIELDS:6 SERVINGS

PREP TIME:0 HOURS 15 MINS

TOTAL TIME:0 HOURS 55 MINS

INGREDIENTS

1 large head cauliflower

2 tbsp. butter, plus more for pan

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup. whole milk

2 cups. shredded Gruyère, divided

1/2 cup. freshly grated Parmesan

2 tsp. freshly chopped thyme

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° and butter a medium casserole dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cauliflower for 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain, then lay cauliflower out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to let dry completely.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook until flour is golden and starts to bubble, about 1 minute more. Add milk slowly and stir until mixture comes to a simmer. Boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

3. Turn off heat and add 1 cup Gruyère, Parmesan, and thyme. Stir until cheese has melted, then season with salt and pepper.

4. Add about half the cauliflower to prepared pan, then pour in half of the cream mixture. Repeat with remaining cauliflower and cream, then top with remaining 1 cup of Gruyère.

5. Bake until bubbly and golden on top, about 25 minutes.

6. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.