Ooops! Stray recipe got missed being posted for last week's meal plan. And this one was so freakin' amazing I don't know how I could have forgotten about it. This is the goodness of scalloped potatoes with cream and butter and cheese, but replacing the starchy potatoes with nutrient rich broccoli and cauliflower. And yes....I do justify all those calories with the copious amounts of vitamin C & A from the broccoli ;) This one is definitely splurge-worthy.
Recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
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Serves 6
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (optional)
3/4 cup cream
1 tsp heaping flour
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup bread crumbs
6 tsp butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets, and once water boils, drop them in and let them cook for 2 minutes. Drain and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.
Place the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until crisp and drain on paper towels.
In a bowl combine the cream, flour, and cheddar as well as the reserved bacon. Pour mixture over the cauliflower and broccoli and top with a little more shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Drop teaspoons of butter all over the top (only about 6 or so) and place in hot oven. Let bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is nice and golden brown.
Click here for printable version of Broccoli & Cauliflower Gratin.
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THE RESULTS?
Lordy Mama this is good! We ate it as a main dish with salad and flatbread dipped in balsamic and olive oil and it was very comforting and satisfying. I absolutely LOVED the crunchy top. The little amount of bacon that is throughout the dish satisfied my husband's need for meat. I asked him "so...could I have left the bacon out?" "Absolutely not" he replied. "Wouldn't have been complete without it"....said the carnivore of all carnivores.
This dish is so completely satisfying I personally think it would be just as good without it.