Cauliflower Gratin – Inspired by Bourbon Steak
I have another recipe today, inspired by our fabulous dinner at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in San Francisco. Last time I shared the first course, a tasty twist on the traditional steakhouse salad – delicious butter lettuce with cherry tomatoes, avocado, bacon and thin sliced red onion. All topped with a drizzle of homemade Green Goddess dressing. If you haven’t tried this salad yet, you’re missing out!
I decided to test out our side dish recipes next. It took me a few tries to get this one down, but I’m happy with how this version came out! I wanted to make sure this was simple enough to throw together in your kitchen, without slaving away over a French style sauce for hours in your kitchen. You certainly can do that if you wish, but I think being able to just toss this recipe together and pop it in the oven is more appealing.
For my dish, I stuck with an aged white cheddar for the cheese, but you can use extra sharp cheddar if you prefer, or mix it up! I think pepper jack would take this dish to a whole new level, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Another fun addition would be cooked and crumbled bacon right on top.
This would make an excellent side for your at-home Bourbon Steak experience, but don’t stop there! Cauliflower Gratin would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table! And I bet your guests will love it. I hope you enjoy creating this dish in your kitchen as much as I did!
- 1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed into florets
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- pinch of salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 8 oz brick of aged white cheddar, grated (Do not use pre shredded cheese for this, it will not melt properly)
- Bread Crumb Topping:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 clove minced garlic
- .25 cup grated parmesan
- Preheat oven to 350˚
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add a pinch of salt and cauliflower florets. Cook cauliflower for about 2 minutes, drain and set aside.
- Lightly grease a large casserole dish, and add cauliflower and top with about half the cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk heavy cream, garlic, dried thyme, pinch of salt and pepper, and flour until well combined and no flour lumps remain.
- Pour cream mixture over the top of the cauliflower in the baking dish, and top with the remaining cheese.
- Make bread crumb topping by mixing panko crumbs, garlic and parmesan in a bowl, and sprinkling over the top of the cauliflower mixture in the casserole dish. Dice the 2 tablespoons of butter into small cubes, and sprinkle on top of the bread crumbs.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until browned and bubbly. The cheese will melt into the cream mixture to make a sauce.
