Creamy Cauliflower Gratin with Mascarpone
This creamy baked cauliflower gratin combines fresh cauliflower in a cheese sauce with mascarpone, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, It's very simple to assemble and bake.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.5 kg) cauliflower (about 1 large or 2 medium heads) separated into florets (8 cups)
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) softened butter
- 4 ounces (125 g) mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary thyme or sage (or a combination)
- 1 garlic clove grated on a rasp grater or pressed in a garlic press
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 (220 C) degrees, with the oven rack positioned in the center of the oven.
- Blanch the cauliflower in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with a towel.
- Spread the butter over the bottom of 3-4 quart shallow gratin or baking dish. Arrange the cauliflower in the dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the mascarpone, cream, flour, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, herbs, garlic, salt and black pepper until smooth. Spoon the mixture evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Bake 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- You can assemble the blanched cauliflower in a baking dish with the cheese sauce and refrigerate up to one day before baking.
- The creamy sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.
- Make sure to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, not the kind that comes in a can.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 24gSodium: 620mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5g
