Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce
An elegant cauliflower casserole is served with a generous sprinkling of bread crumbs, butter and a French cheese sauce broiled to brown the crumbs and sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 cup freshly ground bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 recipe of MORNAY SAUCE
- Basic White Sauce or Bechamel Sauce as follows.
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- To complete Mornay Sauce add
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
Instructions
- Wash and trim cauliflower into florets.
- Steam the cauliflower until tender, 5-7 minutes over 2 inches boiling water.
- Arrange cauliflower around the edge of casserole.
- Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth.
- Gradually stir the milk, constantly stirring or use whisk to blend.
- Cook until sauce is thick.
- Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Prepare the Mornay Sauce
- Add the butter in small pieces.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese, beating until the butter is melted.
- Generously sprinkle bread crumbs over the cauliflower.
- Drizzle 1/3 cup melted butter over the bread crumbs
- Spoon Mornay Sauce into the middle of baking dish.
- Broil until the crumbs are lightly browned.
Notes
Swiss cheese is often used in the Mornay Sauce, you may prefer other cheeses. Less salt may be better if the cheese is especially salty. Inspired by The Creative Cooking Course, 1973.
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