Cauliflower au gratin

Serves 15 people

Ingredients

2 heads of cauliflower, cut into florets

5 Tbs. flour

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 stick salted butter

2 1/2 cups half-and-half, heated to just before boiling point

4 oz. Gouda, shredded

4 oz. Monterey Jack, shredded

4 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded

4 oz. Asiago cheese, shredded

lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam the cauliflower for 4-5 minutes, until about half cooked.
3. Plunge cauliflower into ice water to stop cooking; drain.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and dry mustard.
5. Melt butter over med-high heat, being careful not to scorch. Once the butter has melted, add flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Lower heat to medium, keep whisking until mixture is golden.
6. Add 2/3 of the heated half-and-half; stir.
7. Add shredded cheeses, using the remaining half-and-half to thin, as necessary. The finished product should coat a spoon evenly. (Helpful tip: If, after adding the cheese, the sauce becomes stringy, stir in a few drops of lemon juice. Keep adding drops of lemon juice until the sauce is no longer stringy.)
8. Pour enough sauce into a greased 8 x 10-inch glass baking dish to coat the bottom. Pour in the cauliflower and cover with the rest of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle any remaining shredded cheese over the top. Cover with aluminum foil.
9. Bake cauliflower for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top gets golden, about five more minutes.

Source: Submitted by Dave Harmon and photo by Kraft

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