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A few years ago, Stephan and I were walking around a HUGE antique mall, and I found a copy of a book from 2012 called Real Irish Food. Being 1/4-ish Irish, I had to buy it!
Shut up–I had to.
This recipe intrigued me for a couple reasons. One, Cheese. Two, Cheese on vegetables. Three, the author mentioned that his mother made a dish that was similar (but less tasty) when he was a child. That means this is a vintage recipe!
What you’ll need:
1 large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups whole milk
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (or other cheese of your choice), shredded
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 quart casserole dish, and set aside.
Break the cauliflower into florets and boil or steam it until tender–about ten minutes. Spread the cauliflower evenly into the casserole dish.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Whisk and cook 2-3 minutes. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Add the cheese by the handful, reserving one cup. Stir until melted and add the seasonings.
Pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower and then sprinkle on the reserved cheese. Bake for ten minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and lightly browned.
Y’all. This was so good. We could eat bowls of this for dinner.
You can change this up by using a different cheese, changing out the seasonings, using frozen cauliflower instead of fresh (though I’d suggest draining and patting it dry before adding the cheese sauce)–you get the idea. It’s your food–make it the way you want it!
I think I need to put cauliflower on the grocery list…
Break the head of cauliflower into florets and steam or simmer for ten minutes. Drain and then spread the cauliflower evenly into the pan.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, and continue whisking and cooking 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add the cheese by the handful, reserving one cup. Stir until melted and add the seasonings.
Pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower and top with the reserved cheese.
Bake for ten minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
