Author Notes
I love to roast cauliflower and usually do this with olive oil and spices.
I also was reading a recipe for a cauliflower cheese soup and got the idea of a cheesy sauce to pour over the roast cauliflower. Rather than make a béchamel sauce, I decided to cheat and use mascarpone as the base, mixed with butter. I had some smoked cheddar cheese on hand and decided to accentuate the smokiness with smoked paprika. I finished this off with some grated cheese melted under the broiler, and loved the result. I would have eaten he entire dish but my husband wanted some. It is good by itself or could be served on buttered toast, rice, or pasta.
—JoanG
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Ingredients
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1
large head cauliflower , leaves and stem removed
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3-4 tablespoons
olive oil
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1/2 teaspoon
sea salt
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4 tablespoons
unsalted butter
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8 ounces
mascarpone
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6 ounces
good quality smoked cheddar cheese, coarsely grated p
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1/2-1 teaspoons
smoked paprika plus more for decorating
Directions
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Cut the cauliflower in quarters and slice each quarter into thin slices. Some may crumble, that’s ok. You can use everything.
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Place the cauliflower slices in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. If there's not enough room, use two sheets. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with ½ tsp of the sea salt.
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Roast at 475 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, flipping the pieces over when they start to get brown. The pieces will be tender, crispy and fragrant.
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While the cauliflower roasts, make the sauce. Melt butter over low heat in s amll saucepan. Mix in mascarpone and most of the grated cheese, resrving a small amount to spinkle on the dish in a later step. Stir until combined and creamy. Remove from heat. Stir in smoked paprika, and add salt and pepper to taste.
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Carefully remove the pieces, broken ones and all, to an oiled gratin pan. Pour the sauce of the cauliflower
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Sprinkle with reserved cheese and put under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the grated cheese metls and begins to get crisp. Remove from oven and sprinkle with more smoked paprika and serve.
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Or hide this if you want to eat it all yourself!
I love food! I love to cook, eat, read about food, write about food, and enjoy meals with friends and family. I have been writing a food memoir for the past decade and am just about done! I epsecially love to create recipes using seasonal and local produce. I love to travel and wherever I go I shop at markets, cook, and try to take a cooking class.
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