Cook's Illustrated

The Best Cauliflower Gratin

Published March 1, 2002.

Poorly made cauliflower gratin is a gruesome merger of floury sauce and mealy cauliflower sitting under a damp carpet of bread crumbs. Here is our take on how to do it right.

The Problem

Cauliflower gratin often falls short, with the cauliflower either undercooked or overcooked and the sauce a gluey, flavorless mass that manages to swamp the bread crumb topping. At the other extreme, raw florets flat in a soupy, spa-inspired milk broth.

The Goal

Our goal was to marry tender yet toothsome cauliflower florets with a lightly thickened sauce, then top it all off with buttery, crispy crumbs. When sprinkled with a little cream and broiled under a thin sheet of buttery crumbs, these earthy flavored, milky white florets shine in the form of a classic French gratin.

The Solution

Par-cook the cauliflower florets before adding them to the gratin to ensure just the right amount of cooking time. Make a simple Mornay sauce with shallots, garlic, nutmeg, and cayenne, and add Parmesan cheese for flavor and the smoothest texture. Top with freshly made bread crumbs and bake in a shallow gratin dish for a perfectly toasted crust.

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