Roasted Cauliflower & Leek Gratin

By pikassob

Roasted Cauliflower & Leek Gratin is the perfect dish if you're looking to change up your usual dinner options. Super flavorful and great for getting your veggies.

Ingredients

• ROASTED VEGETABLES:
• 2 small heads of cauliflower, about 3 pounds untrimmed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large leek
• GRATIN:
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups low fat milk
• 1/2 cup generoud parmesan, gruyere or manchengo
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1 to 2 ounce ham, cut into baton shapes
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Preparation

Step 1

ROASTED VEGETABLES:
Cut cauliflower into florets that are 1 1/2 inches wide. In a large bowl, toss the florets with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender with just a bit of bite and browned. 35-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic after 20minutes.

Cut leeks into 1-inch pieces and toss with remaining oil and salt. Spread out on another rimmed baking sheet and roast until crispy in some parts and soft throughout. About 15 minutes. You can do this ahead of time (hours in advance).

GRATIN SAUCE:
Melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour and cook. Stir constantly for 3-5 minutes, make sure that it doesn't brown. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer. Maintain the heat so that it is bubbling gently, stir often until the sauce thickens and the flour cooks. Add 1/3 of parmesan and stir until just melted. Remove from heat and season well with salt and pepper. Stir in mustard. When the vegetables are done, reduce the vegetable temperature to 350°F. Toss the vegetables with the ham and add to a pan. Pour sauce evenly over vegetables. Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the top.

Roasting the leeks and cauliflower (which you can do well ahead) brings out deeper flavor and a crisp-around-the edges texture. Serve as a dish with roasted meat or as a main course with salad and bread. If you don't feel like making the white sauce, gently warm 1 1/2 cups in a saucepan until it bubbles around the edges then stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour it over the vegetables.