Cauliflower au gratin with Feta, Thyme and Paprika
Caulifower au gratin usually calls to mind something at least remotely French! Not so with this cauliflower au gratin with feta and graviera cheeses, and with extra virgin Greek olive oil in lieu of butter. It’s so easy to make, too! The end result is hearty enough to be a main course if you’re so inclined to eat more veggies and live a more Mediterranean diet lifestyle!
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower head about 2 pounds broken into florets
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 ½ cups crumbled Greek feta
- ¾ - 1 cup coarsely grated graviera kefalograviera or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- ½ cup milk or unsweetened oat almond, or coconut milk or regular milk
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup dry fine breadcrumbs
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/ 220 C. Oil a baking dish large and deep enough to fit the cauliflower florets. Fill a medium pot with two inches of water, place a steamer basket inside and bring to a simmer, covered.
-
Place the cauliflower in a steaming basket. Cover and steam for six to eight minutes until tender.
-
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
-
Transfer the cauliflower to a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
-
Puree the garlic, milk, half the cheeses, and paparika in the bowl of a food processor or blender and mix into the cauliflower.
-
Transfer the cauliflower to the oiled baking dish. Toss with the thyme and sprinkle with remaining cheeses and the breadcrumbs. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden and gooey. Serve hot.
