Cauliflower Gratin

I have long lauded the virtues of the humble cauliflower. I love the texture and rich savor flavor of this pale vegetable. It's not necessarily my favorite vegetable, but it certainly gets more attention from me than most of my foodie friends, it seems. I love cauliflower soup, roasted cauliflower, and the cauliflower gratin that I humbly present here. Its a simple process that I've repeated a couple of dozen times with the same result -- tender but firm cauliflower and a savory, crisp topping. Here, I deliberately omit the normally obligatory cream and cheese sauce. I think the cauliflower's complex taste deserves to shine, so I hope you'll give it a go without the added caloric luxuries.

Cauliflower Gratin
Serves 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets, stem diced
• 1 cup grated gruyere or other quality Swiss cheese
• 3 tbsp softened butter
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (fresh are better, but dried will do)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp olive oil

The process is simple. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper and place in an attractive baking dish. Roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the grated cheese, nutmeg, butter, and breadcrumbs and form a coarse meal. After roasting, top the cauliflower with the breadcrumb and cheese mixture in an even layer and cook another 10 minutes until golden and crusty. The word gratin in French means crust, after all. You should find it crunchy, savory, and just a tad oozy with cheese.