Cauliflower and Green Apple Gratin
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Why I Love This Recipe
One year we were going to my brothers house for Thanksgiving and we were asked to bring a side dish. I didn't want to bring the old normal standbys...so I decided to try something new. This is what I came up with. One person at dinner told me they disliked cauliflower but loved this and wanted the recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 large head cauliflower (approximately 2 lbs.) cored and cut into florets.
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and diced 1/2"
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine (whatever you are drinking)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 cup aged swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups buttered bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Fill a six quart pot with four quarts of water and add 2 Tbsp kosher salt and bring to a rapid boil.
Add the cauliflower florets and bring back to a full boil, turn off the heat.
Drain the cauliflower and shock it in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
Add the apples and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the shallots and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for another 3 minutes and add the wine and lemon juice.
Cook for 1 minute and add the sourcream and heavy cream.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, add the fresh thyme and lemon zest and remove from heat.
Drain the cooled cauliflower well and place it in a bowl large enough to hold all ingrediants with room to mix without making a mess and add all the cheese to the cauliflower and toss lightly.
Add the sauce while it is still hot and fold until well incorporated.
Grease a 3 qt. baking dish and pour all the mix in.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350F oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the edges are browned and bubbly and the middle is hot (145F minimum).
While the cauliflower is baking, butter 4 slices of your favorite type of bread (I use just plain old white bread, but wheat or sourdough works just as well) and make bread crumbs in a food processor.
When the cauliflower is hot all the way through, spread the buttered crumbs over the top and place back in the oven until they are well browned, approximately 15 minutes