Cauliflower Gratin with Tomatoes and Feta
Adapted from a recipe from Deborah Madisons cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This recipe brings a brightness and freshness to winter cuisine that I love. I like to serve this with a little toasted bread or Naan and a side salad for a complete meal, but it could also be used as a side dish.
Adapted from a recipe from Deborah Madisons cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This recipe brings a brightness and freshness to winter cuisine that I love. I like to serve this with a little toasted bread or Naan and a side salad for a complete meal, but it could also be used as a side dish.
- Carbohydrate 48.4477197365692 g
- Cholesterol 50.462151118 mg
- Fat 16.5391330327002 g
- Fiber 17.0566186580873 g
- Protein 20.0223310899231 g
- Saturated Fat 9.12182067022423 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (815g)
- Sodium 916.932230646393 mg
- Sugar 31.3911010784819 g
- Trans Fat 1.0761352424637 g
- Calories 373 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat broiler and lightly oil a 2-qt gratin dish.
- Heat oil in a 10" skillet. Saute onion, garlic, oregano and cinnamon and cook until onion is wilted.
- Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes fore until starting to get a little saucy, then add honey and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slide into gratin dish.
- Meanwhile, steam cauliflower for 5 minutes. Set onto sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Squeese lemon on top and add feta.
- Place 5-6" from the broiler and broil until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown, aout 10 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve!
Most home cooks fail this dish by drowning raw cauliflower in watery tomatoes without pre-steaming the florets. Water content is the primary enemy here. When raw brassicas release moisture under direct heat, the resulting liquid pools at the bottom of the dish and prevents the feta from browning properly. Steaming the florets for exactly five minutes removes excess internal water while retaining structural integrity.
Using canned San Marzano tomatoes requires careful management of acidity and sugar. Canned fruit lacks the erratic sugar levels of out-of-season fresh tomatoes, but the canning liquid demands reduction. Simmer the diced tomatoes, chopped garlic, thin onion slices, dried oregano, and ground cinnamon in a ten-inch skillet until the mixture thickens into a proper sauce. Stirring in one teaspoon of honey balances the natural acid of the canned tomatoes without adding sweetness that overpowers the briny sheep's milk cheese.
Feta cheese behaves differently under a broiler than aged melting cheeses like cheddar or gruyere. Because feta contains high moisture and protein structures that do not melt smoothly, it breaks down into soft curds that brown on the edges rather than forming a continuous blanket. Position the gratin dish five to six inches from the broiler element. Watch the surface closely for ten minutes until the edges of the cheese turn golden brown and the sauce bubbles at the perimeter.
Scaling this yields requires attention to surface area rather than just volume. Doubling the ingredients means using a larger baking vessel instead of stacking the florets deeper, otherwise the steam trapped underneath will prevent the top from achieving proper color. Finish the hot dish with four tablespoons of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley and fresh lemon juice to cut through the heavy fats of the dairy and olive oil.
