Best Roasted Cauliflower Sformato Recipes

CAULIFLOWER SFORMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a large pot of lightly salted water over high heat to bring to a boil. Cut the half head of cauliflower into quarters, removing the outer leaves and the tougher part of the stem. With a sharp knife, cut the florets into 1 inch pieces, and slice the center stalk thinly.
• Reserve a packed 3/4 cup of the florets, and add remaining florets and sliced stems to the boiling water. Boil until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender. Blend, adding 1/4 cup milk, or as needed, to make a very thick, smooth, puree. Pour into a large bowl, and set aside.
• In a small pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 cup of milk just until steaming. Season with salt to taste. Cover and turn off heat. In a second small pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, and whisk in flour. Cook until thickened, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Add hot milk and whisk constantly to make a thick béchamel, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Fold the béchamel into the cauliflower puree. Add eggs, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a pinch of nutmeg, and salt to taste. In a small sauté pan over medium-high, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and add 3/4 cup cauliflower florets. Sauté until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and fold florets into béchamel mixture.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Lightly coat the insides of six four-ounce ramekins with nonstick spray, and fill almost to the top with the flan mixture. Place in a baking dish and add boiling water until it reaches two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Cover tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, and cook until the centers are firm yet still jiggle a little. Remove ramekins from the water and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to three days.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Meanwhile, allow ramekins to sit at room temperature until no longer chilled. Place in a baking dish and add boiling water until it reaches two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until reheated, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the fonduta sauce.
• In a small pot over low heat, combine the heavy cream and Gorgonzola dolce. Stir until melted and smooth.
• To serve, remove the sformato from the water bath. Run a knife around the inside of a ramekin, and place a small plate on top. Invert, and remove the ramekin. The sformato should unmold effortlessly. Repeat with remaining ramekins. Spoon fonduta sauce over each sformato, and sprinkle the top with a little black pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

WHOLE POT-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATOES AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 degrees.
• Trim any wilted leaves and brown bits off the cauliflower, but leave healthy leaves. Put the cauliflower on its side on a cutting board. As if coring a tomato, core the base of the cauliflower: insert a small sharp knife about 1 inch into the base of the stem, make a circular cut to loosen the cone-shaped core, then pry it out and discard.
• In a deep, heavy ovenproof pot (with a lid), large enough to hold the whole cauliflower, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower cored side up; it should sizzle. Brown the exterior, turning it occasionally with tongs for even browning. This should take about 5 minutes; reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Carefully turn over and brown the other side lightly, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the cauliflower to a plate and add garlic, anchovies and rosemary to the pot. Stir until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, white wine, chiles and salt. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Return cauliflower to pot, cored side down. Baste with the tomato liquid and pile some of the solids on top. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes to thicken the tomatoes.
• Cover the pot, place in the oven and roast until tender, 30 to 45 minutes; a knife will go into the thick stems with almost no resistance. Check on the tomato sauce every 10 minutes or so; it should be punchy and intense but not too thick, so add a glug of wine if it seems to be getting too dry.
• Transfer the cauliflower head to a serving plate or shallow bowl and cut in half, quarters or thick slices. Spoon on all the tasty stuff left in the pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs. Serve immediately or at room temperature, passing salt and red pepper flakes at the table.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Pour on enough olive oil to coat (a few tablespoons). Season generously with salt and pepper and toss gently until evenly coated.
• Lay cauliflower pieces out on a baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining oil from the bowl on top. Bake, turning once, until caramelized on edges and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, as a side dish. You can also sprinkle it with a very good aged vinegar. Or, cut florets into smaller pieces and add to salads.