OK, so it’s a Friday, it’s the middle of winter, and it’s been a dreary week. At this point you might be looking for a recipe that’s not too hard but still nutritious – and of course delicious. Lucky for you, we’ve got one here. This cauliflower gratin (based on a recipe in the New York Times) is insanely simple: typically a gratin dish requires breadcrumbs, but this version uses just four ingredients and can be made in a snap. We enjoyed it on a day when we were feeling very lazy, and we’re sure you’ll like it as well because it’s tasty and veggie-filled and takes just a few minutes to throw together.
To make it, you’ll need:
- A head of cauliflower
- A leek
- Heavy cream
- An 8-ounce block of white cheddar cheese
First, tear all the green leaves off of your cauliflower, then hold it upright. Use a knife to slice right through the head so you’re cutting the cauliflower into thick slices – don’t worry if some small pieces fall off, because we’re just going to throw them in with everything else.
Scoop up all of the cauliflower and place it into a small baking dish that’s been drizzled with a little olive oil. Slice your leek (just the white and light green parts) and place that on top of the cauliflower, then sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.
Next, measure out 3/4 cup of heavy cream and pour that evenly over all of the vegetables.
Then grate up your cheddar cheese and sprinkle it all on top.
Cover your baking dish with foil and stick it in the oven at 425°F for 15 minutes, then take the foil off and bake for another 40-45 minutes until some of the cheese on top has browned and crisped.
Now dig in!
What did we tell you: so, so easy, especially since you don’t have to do any major vegetable chopping. In fact we were surprised ourselves, after making plenty of extravagant meals, by just how simple this recipe was. And of course it was tasty: the cream thickens up well in the oven to make the veggies tender and rich, and putting some good white cheddar on top makes for a nice, gooey, savory way to hold everything together. This is a great, warm meal you can throw together with minimal time, effort, and grocery shopping, so definitely give it a try when you want to get some vegetables and cheese in on the run.