Meatless Monday! Cracklin' Cauliflower

I've had this recipe saved and ready to try since September 2009! It was worth the wait to cook this with my fresh organic cauliflower from Suburban Organics :-) It's called Cracklin' Cauliflower and I cut it from Family Fun Magazine.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAULIFLOWER AND SAUCE:
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into florets
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 ounces (3/4 cup) grated Gruyere
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 8 reduced-fat buttery crackers, crushed (we used Ritz)
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ounce (1/4 cup) grated Gruyere

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the cauliflower. Partly cover the saucepan and let the cauliflower simmer until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and rinse it under cold water. Drain it well again.

2. Melt the butter over moderate heat in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking often, for about 1 minute, then simmer for 1 minute more, still whisking, to thicken it.

3. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the horseradish and mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and the nutmeg. Stir in the cheese, then the cauliflower. Pour the mixture into a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.

4. To make the topping, combine the crushed crackers and panko in a small bowl. Melt the butter and stir it into the mixture.

5. Sprinkle the ounce of cheese over the cauliflower, then top with the crumb mixture. Bake the gratin on the bottom oven rack until it's bubbling and golden, about 15 minutes. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

I thought it was delicious! But, I have to say it was probably a little too complex for young pallets! Maybe the adventurous young eater would enjoy it, but not my kids! I mean....it calls for Gruyere Cheese and horseradish! Yummy! Just not really kid flavors.