My Love/Hate Relationship with Cauliflower

Sometimes when I see some nice-looking heads of cauliflower, I’ll put one in my shopping cart and start thinking about one of my early favorite dishes, Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce.

Once I get home I put the cauliflower in the vegetable bin.  At least half the time I forget it’s there, and three weeks later I discover it, along with all the mold that has appeared on the florets.

This time, though, I swore things would be different.  I put the cauliflower on the top shelf, where I would easily see it every time I opened the fridge.  Three weeks later I spotted it in the back corner, but miracle of miracles it had just a tiny patch of mold on it.  It was time to reintroduce myself to a once loved dish.

I had half a packet of Hollandaise sauce mix left over from my Eggs Benedict experiment.  I decided  to use it as the base for cheese sauce.

It worked better than I ever imagined.  Just a few scraps of cauliflower were left at the end of dinner.  I decided they would be perfect for a midnight snack.

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce – serves 4-6 

1 medium cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into bite-size florets
1/2 packet Hollandaise sauce mix

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs 

Fill a large pot half-full of water and begin heating over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil, add the cauliflower florets and set the timer for 5 minutes.  Test a floret to see if a sharp knife can easily penetrate it.  If yes, turn off the heat and drain the cauliflower in a colander or large strainer.  If no, cook for another minute and test again.  It’s better if the florets are firm rather than mushy.  Drain and let cool. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Add the half packet of Hollandaise sauce mix to a small pan.  Add the milk and begin heating over medium heat, stirring constantly to combine the sauce mix with the milk.  It will eventually smooth out and then thicken.  Add the cheese and keep stirring until the sauce is thick and shiny.  Remove from the heat. 

Add the olive or canola oil to the bottom of an ovenproof casserole and spread it around to keep the cauliflower from sticking.  Transfer the drained cauliflower to the casserole and top with the cheese mixture, dribbling it over as many florets as possible.  Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs. 

Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until a few of the florets begin to brown.  Serve immediately or at room temperature.

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