This could be made with a béchamel, but I always think it is easier to use cream, and let’s face it, cream just tastes better. This could be done with white cauliflower, but I think the yellow cauliflower looks good enrobed in the seasoned and reduced cream.
INGREDIENTS: 1 head of cauliflower, core removed and florets trimmed so the pieces are around 1½ inches 10-12 fresh sage leaves 5 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed, and quartered lengthwise 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and diced ¼ inch salt and white pepper to taste (White pepper is preferred here so you don’t wind up with flecks of black in your sauce.) 1 pint of heavy whipping cream Butter as needed 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or other neural flavored oil
METHOD:
Place the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 450°F. Generously butter a gratin dish that is large enough to hold cauliflower without too much stacking. Heat a large, heavy gauge saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the sage leaves. Fry until colored, flipping once the first side is done. (I use long chopsticks for this so I don’t break the leaves.) Once the sage is colored and the oil is fragrant with the herbs, transfer the leaves to a paper towel to drain. Reserve the leaves.
Add the garlic to the oil and cook until it is well colored and fragrant. Be careful not to burn it. Remove the garlic and discard when it is getting dark. Add the onions and stir into the oil. Cook, stirring to prevent the onions from coloring and cook until softened. Add the cream to the pan, and bring to the boil, stirring to combine the flavors. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Carefully add the cauliflower to the pan. Once the cream returns to the boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook the cauliflower until tender. This should take around 10 to 15 minutes. To test, poke with a thin bladed knife. The tip should slide in easily.
When the cauliflower is tender, pour the cream through fine mesh strainer into a bowl and let the cauliflower drain. Once drained, return the cream to the pan and return to a simmer. Cook to reduce the cream by 30-40%. The cream should be thickened a bit. If you dip a spoon back into it the cream should just cling to it, running slowly off. Add the cauliflower into the cream and swirl gently to coat all the cauliflower, and then gently tip the contents of the pan into the prepared gratin dish. Give a gentle shake to level out, then put in the center of the oven.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top of the gratin is golden and speckled with brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes so the cream can set up a little and the dish is not so hot. When ready to serve, top with the crispy sage leaves.
Chef’s Notes:
If you are not a fan of sage, you might try infusing the dish with rosemary instead. You can fry a couple sprig tops where you would fry the sage leaves, or you can add sections of sprigs into the cream when you first boil the cream. For further additions, try adding a shot of orange juice or sherry during the first boiling.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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