Cheesy Cauliflower Bake with Herb Sauteed Mushrooms

Holy smokes this recipe is AMAZING! It’s one of those winter meals I could be gross enough to eat every single day and just get hopelessly fat. Every. Single. Day. Sure it’s a formidable amount of cheese and cream but, hey, it’s cauliflower not pasta so that has to count for something, right?! RIGHT?!?!?!? Ha! Anyway, this is crazy delicious, silly easy and may just help warm you through these bitter cold nights most of the country is suffering. Bletch! Try it, you’ll love it! Nevermind how very wintry it looks. So lovely…

Cheesy Cauliflower Bake with Herb Sauteed Mushrooms

 

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A rich and warming side dish for those blustery nights...

Author: Crystal Cartier

Recipe type: Sides

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Ingredients

• ~2 pounds cauliflower, a large head - washed and cut into florets
• 1 cup cream
• ½ cup 2 % milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• few slices crusty sourdough bread, torn into bites
• 4 ounces meaty mushrooms, shitakes or trumpet really sing here but any mushroom will work
• butter, enough to saute mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme (or ½ Tablespoon dried thyme)
• ½ cup gruyere cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Prepare and ice bath in a large bowl in the sink.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
3. Blanch the cauliflower in salt water for 2 minutes. Drain, plunge into ice bath until cooled, drain again or dry VERY well.
4. Heat a generous amount of butter in a skillet and saute mushrooms with rosemary and thyme until softened and fragrant.
5. Whisk together the cream, milk, cheese and the eggs, season with salt, ground black pepper. Reserve a bit of this mixture and toss the remainder with the cauliflower and bread. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Pour the reserved portion of the mixture over the cauliflower in the baking dish (this makes the top beautifully cheesy;). Bake for 35 minutes or so until the liquid is absorbed and the top is golden brown. Bake time may vary depending on the depth of the baking dish used so keep an eye on it.

Savor and ENJOY!!!

3.5.3229