Karen AKA Kajikit said:I've decided that it's my mission in life to take a vegetable dish to
our church lunch every month, because nobody else does! It's all pasta
and potato salad and meatloaf and stuff like that...
Two months ago I made a big green salad with mushrooms and green
pepper and homemade dressing and homemade croutons. That went down
well except that I don't think people knew what to do with the
croutons, so I took most of them home to snack on.
Last month we didn't have any vegetables handy, so I made an apple
and pecan upside down cake with lots of fresh apple in it, and I made
some savoury pizza bites to take along too.
Yesterday was this month's lunch, so I made another batch of pizza
bites, and a big pot of pumpkin soup. Everyone thought the soup was
terribly exotic and they said they'd never had it before, but they
said it was very good when they tasted it.
So now I need some more recipes. Nothing very exotic or expensive
please. If they think pumpkin soup is esoteric, they'd run in terror
from artichoke hearts or something like that. I also have to be able
to prepare it at least a day in advance because I have to be at church
at 9.30am so I don't have time to fix the dish in the morning. I have
an electric saucepan to use that works really well for reheating
liquidy stuff. And I ALWAYS cook from scratch, so no packet mixes etc
please... I think that's one reason why people like my cooking - in
this day and age it has novelty value!
Don't know where you are but here in the northeast US cauliflower is in
season...
CAULIFLOWER CHEDDAR GRATIN WITH HORSERADISH CRUMBS
Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min
3 lb cauliflower (1 large head), cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch florets
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
6 oz sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion greens
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
20 (2-inch square) saltine crackers
2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cook cauliflower in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until
just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain cauliflower well in a colander and
transfer to a buttered 2-quart baking dish.
While cauliflower is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3- to
4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour.
Cook roux over low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a slow
stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat
and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 8 minutes. Remove from heat
and add cheese, scallion greens, salt, and pepper, whisking until
cheese is melted. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower and stir gently to
combine.
Coarsely crumble crackers into a bowl. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons
butter in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in
horseradish. Pour over crumbs and toss to coat.
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over cauliflower.
Bake gratin in middle of oven until topping is golden brown, about 10
minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
Gourmet
November 2002
---
CAULIFLOWER-LEEK KUGEL WITH ALMOND-HERB CRUST
Coarsely mashed vegetables are the main ingredients in this utterly
surprising - and irresistible - kugel.
8 cups cauliflower florets (from 2 medium heads of cauliflower)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups coarsely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts; from 3
large)
6 tablespoons unsalted matzo meal
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup almonds, toasted, chopped
Cook cauliflower in large pot of boiling salted water until tender,
about 10 minutes. Drain; transfer to large bowl and mash coarsely with
potato masher.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add leeks and sauté until tender and just beginning to color, about 5
minutes. Add leek mixture to cauliflower. Mix in matzo meal. Beat eggs,
1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon dill, salt, and pepper in small bowl
to blend; stir into cauliflower mixture.
Brush 11x7-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Spread cauliflower
mixture evenly in prepared dish. Mix almonds, remaining 7 tablespoons
parsley, 7 tablespoons dill, and 2 tablespoons oil in medium bowl to
blend. Sprinkle evenly over kugel. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover
and chill.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake kugel uncovered until set in center and
beginning to brown on top, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
Bon Appétit
April 2005
---
