Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin with Smoked Gouda

There was a lot of vegetable tray leftover after a bonspiel at the curling club. All of a sudden I had a lot of cauliflower and broccoli hanging out in my fridge and was needing something to do with it.

At the same time, I was wondering what to do with a nice chunk of smoked gouda that I had picked up at the market a few days before.



Enter my first friend: Google. A search for "broccoli cauliflower gouda" produced my second friend: Christine Cushing. I used to watch her show quite often on the Food Network and really enjoyed her television personality and, more importantly, her recipes.

She certainly saved me this time. The smokiness of the gouda complimented the cauliflower and broccoli so well. I love that it is melted into the Bechamel and browned on the top. Add a little parmesan and sun dried tomato and I am in gratin heaven.



This is a quick gratin so was easy to make on a weeknight after work. A word of advice: This is definitely one of those recipes where it helps to prepare many of the ingredients ahead of time. The Bechamel needs attention which makes it difficult to prepare the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Bechamel Sauce
3 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 1/4 c. milk (I used skim)
Pinch of grated nutmet
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 c. grated smoked gouda cheese
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

3 cups broccoli florets
3 cups cauliflower florets
12 button mushrooms, sliced in half
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
5 sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Topping
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. smoked gouda, grated
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese



DIRECTIONS


For Bechamel sauce...

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

2. Remove pan from heat and in a steady stream whisk in cold milk. Stir well until smooth. Return to medium heat and stir until thick and sauce begins to boil.

3. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup grated smoked gouda and 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese.


Meanwhile...

1. Blanch broccoli and cauliflower florets in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, sautee mushrooms until slightly soft. Put broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms in a large bowl.

2. Add sun dried tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and half each of the parsley and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.

3. Pour the smoked gouda bechamel sauce over vegetables. Transfer to a baking dish.

4. Cover with foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven until hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with grated gouda, bread crumbs, and the Parmesan cheese. Turn broiler on and place under broiler until top is golden brown and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

5. Garnish with remaining parsley and basil.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Normally, shepherd’s pie has mashed potatoes on top. Brian and I were talking a couple of nights ago and thought, “Hey… why couldn’t you put cornbread on top instead of potatoes?”. Have we gone far enough off of the sheep trail that it isn’t considered shepherd’s pie anymore? I don’t know and the result was so tasty that I’m not sure I care… I’ll debate it when I’m done eating.

My version is vegetarian and strays a bit from the recipe on the back of the packet so I included directions (the ground round is pre-cooked so really just needs to be heated). Shepherd’s pie is one of those things that you never make the same way twice … one time you might throw in carrots, the next time you don’t. It is really up to your own tastebuds and perhaps, for the less planned among us, what is in your fridge at that moment.

I could have easily found a recipe for shepherd’s pie online but I had one of those spice mixes in my pantry and it was 9 o’clock at night so I decided to go with the easy alternative this time. Free plug for them.

INGREDIENTS

1 packet Club House Shepherd’s Pie Seasoning Mix
1 package Yves Veggie Ground Round Original (or one of the flavored ones if you prefer)
2 or 3 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup corn niblets
Cornmeal

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan, cook carrots and onion in a little bit of oil over medium-high heat, until onions are soft.

Mix the seasoning mix with 3/4 cup of water (as directed on package). Add ground round, peas, corn, and seasoning mixture to the saucepan. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, mix the cornbread. (I used just a regular recipe for cornbread that was on the back of the cornmeal bag. Use whatever recipe that you know works).

Pour the ground round mixture into a large casserole dish. Pour the cornbread mixture overtop. Bake in a 350 degree. All of the other ingredients are cooked at this point so we only have to worry about the cornbread. When mine was golden on top and a toothpick came out clean, I called it done.

Perfect leftovers.