Cauliflower gratin

Cauliflower Gratin in a Mini Casserole Dish (serves 1)

Ingredients :

• 100g of cauliflower
• 5 cl of thick fresh cream
• 20g of grated cheese (Gruyère, Comté or Parmesan)
• 1/2 egg (beat the egg and use half)
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• A little butter (to grease the mini casserole dish)

Instructions :

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Prepare the cauliflower : Detach approximately 100g of cauliflower florets and steam or boil them in salted water for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain well.

3. Mix the ingredients : In a small bowl, beat half the egg with the crème fraîche. Add the grated cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

4. Assemble the gratin : Lightly butter your mini casserole dish. Place the cauliflower florets inside. Pour the cream and cheese mixture over them, making sure to completely cover the cauliflower.

5. Cooking : Place the mini casserole in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and gratinéed.

6. To serve : Remove the mini casserole from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes and enjoy immediately.

This is a quick, practical recipe, perfect for an individual portion, and elegant thanks to the mini casserole dish!

💫The essentials for preparing a delicious gratin

Cauliflower gratin is a classic of French cuisine, appreciated for its simplicity and comforting flavor. To make this recipe a success, having the right utensils and ingredients is essential. Let's start with the ideal cooking dish: an enameled cast-iron casserole. The 27cm CocoOvale casserole is perfect for this preparation. Its generous capacity allows you to cook a gratin for the whole family, while its enameled cast iron ensures even cooking and keeps food warm for longer.

Enameled cast iron casserole dish ideal for gratins

To prepare the ingredients for your gratin, a good manual chopper like the EasyChop will be very useful. It will allow you to finely chop garlic, onions, or even parsley to flavor your béchamel sauce. This multi-functional tool will greatly simplify the preparation of your vegetables and herbs.

Practical manual chopper for preparing ingredients

Preparing the vegetables

Cauliflower is, of course, the main ingredient in this gratin. To cut it into uniformly sized florets, nothing beats a good kitchen mandoline. The PRO Multifunctional Kitchen Mandoline is the ideal tool for this task. It will allow you not only to cut the cauliflower, but also to thinly slice other vegetables if you wish to enrich your gratin.

Multifunctional mandoline for precise vegetable slicing

Once your vegetables are chopped, it's important to lightly steam them before adding them to the gratin. For this step, a mini casserole dish like the CocoTout is perfect. Its compact size is ideal for steaming a small quantity of vegetables, while preserving their nutrients and crispness.

Mini casserole dish, practical for pre-cooking vegetables

Preparing the sauce

A good cauliflower gratin needs a smooth sauce. Traditionally, a béchamel sauce is used, but you can also opt for a cheese sauce. To make your sauce lump-free, a silicone whisk will be your best friend. You can find this essential tool in our collection of teak wood kitchen utensils, which combine functionality and aesthetics.

Teak wood kitchen utensil set, including a sauce whisk

Assembling and baking the gratin

Once all your ingredients are prepared, it's time to assemble your gratin. Arrange the pre-cooked cauliflower florets in your CocoOvale casserole dish, pour the sauce over them, and then sprinkle with grated cheese. To handle the hot casserole dish safely, remember to use heat-resistant oven gloves like CocoGant.

Kitchen gloves for safely handling hot dishes

Bake your gratin in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbly. The enameled cast iron of your casserole dish will ensure even cooking and a delicious result.

The finishing touch

To serve your cauliflower gratin with elegance, consider using pretty wooden spoons like those from SmallSpices. Not only will they add an aesthetic touch to your table, but they're also perfect for preventing scratches on your enameled casserole dish when serving.

Elegant wooden serving spoons

Variations and tips

Classic cauliflower gratin is delicious, but feel free to personalize it to your liking. For example, you can add bacon, mushrooms, or even seafood to mix things up. For a lighter version, replace some of the cream with plant-based milk.

If you wish to prepare individual portions, opt for mini cocottes like the CocoViolette. They are perfect for a romantic dinner for two or for impressing your guests with an original presentation.

Mini casserole dish for individual gratins

Storage and reheating

If you have leftover gratin, you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat it, it's best to use the oven to maintain the crispness of the crust. If you're in a hurry, the microwave will do, but your gratin will be less crispy.

For optimal preservation, consider using food-grade vacuum bags like Bag Master ECO. They will keep your gratin fresh longer and prevent waste.

Vacuum-sealed bags for optimal preservation of leftovers

The final word

Cauliflower gratin is a comforting dish that the whole family will love. With the right utensils and a little practice, you can create a gratin worthy of a top chef. Remember that the quality of the ingredients and utensils you use plays a crucial role in the success of your dishes. Investing in good kitchen tools like those offered by Dicasart will help you improve your culinary skills and enjoy cooking even more.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook, feel free to experiment and adapt this recipe to your liking. Cooking is above all a pleasure to share, so have fun and delight your loved ones with this delicious cauliflower gratin!